'I believe in America': Fired-up Biden uses State of the Union to skewer GOP

The president made the case for why he deserves a second term.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Tal Axelrod, Meredith Deliso, and Leah Sarnoff
Last Updated: March 7, 2024, 8:37 PM EST

President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday night.

The speech provided Biden one of his biggest audiences of the year as he made his case for a second term and contrasted his vision of the country's future with Republicans ahead of what's expected to be a lengthy general election fight with former President Donald Trump.

ABC News live-blogged every major moment and highlight from the speech, with 538 providing analysis and a closer look at the polling and data behind the politicians.

Key moments:

Here's how the news developed.
Mar 07, 2024, 7:07 PM EST

Republican response plans to slam Biden as 'diminished'

Alabama Sen. Katie Britt will give the Republican response to Biden's State of the Union address after the president wraps up his speech.

The speaking slot is historically given to a lawmaker perceived to be a rising star in their party. Past respondents have included Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat.

In her speech, Britt is anticipated to knock Biden's record and raise the claim that he is unfit for office or another term over concerns about his age and mental acuity, which he has forcefully denied.

"Right now, our commander in chief is not in command. The free world deserves better than a dithering and diminished leader. America deserves leaders who recognize that secure borders, stable prices, safe streets, and a strong defense are the cornerstones of a great nation," she'll say, according to excerpts that were released ahead of time.

GOP Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) has been tapped to deliver the party's response to President Joe Biden's highly anticipated speech.
GOP Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) has been tapped to deliver the party's response to President Joe Biden's highly anticipated speech.

Mar 07, 2024, 6:59 PM EST

What to expect from the president's address

Biden will soon take the stage to give the president's annual address to a joint session of Congress and millions of Americans who are expected to be tuned in at home.

The high-stakes political moment serves as a chance for Biden to tout his accomplishments and lay out his plan for the nation as he seeks to convince voters to give him another four years -- and to dispel concerns about his age and fitness for a second term.

The speech is expected to focus heavily on the rebounding economy post-pandemic, as well as reproductive rights, America's role in international conflicts and the state of democracy at home.

With the 2024 election all but certain to be a Biden-Trump rematch, Biden is also expected to highlight the differences between his agenda and that of his Republican predecessor, who has promised to be making real-time rebuttals. That contrast was evident in an excerpt of his speech released by the White House in which Biden will say he was taught to "embrace freedom and democracy" while "some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge and retribution."