JD Vance and Mike Johnson take prime seats behind Trump at State of the Union

WASHINGTON, DC: Americans will get a rare point of view inside the Capitol building during the annual State of the Union address as President Donald Trump delivers his speech on Tuesday, February 24.

Viewers will watch him speaking from an elevated platform in the House of Representatives chamber, addressing the nation on its affairs and policy aims. Lawmakers, special guests, judges and members of the military will sit in front of him during the address. But two individuals seated directly behind the president will also draw attention, as their presence sends an important political message this year.

Mike Johnson and the State of the Union address

During the address, Trump will enter the House chamber and step up to the elevated wooden rostrum. This platform is typically where the House speaker presides over affairs, according to the House Office of the Historian.

For the annual address, however, the speaker sits in one of the chairs positioned behind the president. The speaker generally occupies the president’s left-hand side, which appears on the right side of television screens at home.

This year, that seat will be filled by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The speaker is not always from the same political party as the president, but in this case, the person seated behind Trump will be an advocate for him. 

Observers can expect Johnson to frequently stand, clap or otherwise express visible support as the president outlines his policy plans. Ahead of the address, Johnson criticized some Democrats who plan to boycott it.

Johnson said he believes it is "detestable" that certain lawmakers are choosing not to attend, adding that "we're all for America." He further said, "We've never done that. It doesn't matter if there's a Democrat president, you go and respect the office, you respect the decorum, the institution, the tradition of having had this speech made."

JD Vance and the symbolism of the seating arrangement

Seated on the president’s right-hand side and appearing on the left side of television screens, will be Vice President JD Vance. As vice president, Vance presides over the Senate and traditionally sits behind the president during the State of the Union address.

Like Johnson, he is expected to visibly demonstrate support as Trump speaks. Viewers can anticipate Vance frequently displaying enthusiasm while the president highlights his administration’s actions so far and sets goals for the coming year.

Regardless of party affiliation, the vice president and the speaker of the House are next in the presidential chain of command. The vice president is first in line to assume the presidency should the president be unable to serve, followed by the speaker. Their placement directly behind the president also symbolizes this order of succession.

The pairing of Vance and Johnson behind Trump at the address also underscores the current political landscape in Washington. Republicans hold the Senate, the House and the Executive branch. This alignment reinforces what is often referred to as a governing “trifecta” of Republican power, a dynamic that will remain significant as the 2026 midterm elections approach.

In past addresses, those seated behind the president have used their prominent position to signal disagreement with the executive branch.

Trump’s 2019 address, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, delivered what appeared to be targeted applause, locked eyes with the president and smirked while he spoke.