**President Trump’s State of the Union Guests Highlight Key Issues and Political Divides**
President Donald Trump’s guests for his State of the Union address on Tuesday night represent a diverse group, each reflecting various issues and causes aligned with his administration’s priorities. Among those attending are a Virginia teen involved in a high-profile legal case over parental rights and schooling, members of the U.S. men’s hockey team, and Erika Kirk, widow of activist Charlie Kirk.
While the White House has kept the full guest list under wraps, it is traditional for presidents to invite guests who embody the themes and policies they support. First Lady Melania Trump also selected her own guests to spotlight her initiatives on artificial intelligence (AI) education and foster care.
### Guests Highlighting Trump’s Agenda
– **Saige Blair**, a teenager at the center of a lawsuit concerning Virginia school officials allegedly making decisions about her well-being and gender identity without parental notification, is among the attendees. Her presence underscores ongoing debates about parental rights and education policies.
– **Erika Kirk**, widow of Charlie Kirk and the new CEO of Turning Point USA—a right-wing youth organization founded by her late husband—will also be present. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that with Kirk in the chamber, Trump will urge Congress to “firmly reject political violence against our fellow citizens.” Erika Kirk assumed leadership of the group following Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September.
– **First Lady Melania Trump** is bringing two guests aligned with her platform: Sierra Burns, a participant in the Melania Trump Foster Youth to Independence Program, and Everest Nevraumont, a 10-year-old public speaker and advocate for AI education. Melania Trump remarked, “Sierra and Everest embody my ongoing mission to uplift America’s foster youth and expand opportunity for our next generation through education and technology.”
– **House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)** invited **Ziba Murat**, daughter of Gulshan Abbas, a retired medical doctor who went missing in China in 2018. The disappearance occurred after her sister publicly criticized China’s treatment of Uyghur people, bringing attention to human rights concerns.
– The **U.S. men’s hockey team**, fresh off their gold medal victory over Canada at this year’s Winter Olympics, is also expected to attend, according to Speaker Johnson.
### Other Notable Guests
– **Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.)** will attend with **George Retes**, a U.S. citizen who recounted being pepper-sprayed and detained by federal immigration agents without explanation or judicial hearing.
– **Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.)** invited conservative YouTuber **Nick Shirley**, credited by Stauber for exposing alleged government fraud in Minnesota that reportedly cost taxpayers $9 billion.
– **Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.)** extended an invitation to the brother and sister-in-law of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a prominent survivor of abuse by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Other Epstein survivors such as Jess Michaels and Haley Robson were invited by Democratic Representatives James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), respectively.
### Who’s Not Attending?
The event will notably be absent some prominent figures:
– The **U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team**, also Olympic gold medalists, reportedly declined the invitation, citing scheduling conflicts. USA Hockey issued a statement expressing sincere gratitude for the invitation and appreciation for the recognition of their achievement.
– Several Democratic lawmakers are boycotting the State of the Union to protest the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric.
– **Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)** will attend an alternative event called *The People’s State of the Union*. “Trump is marching America towards fascism, and I refuse to normalize his shredding of our Constitution & democracy,” Van Hollen said.
– **Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.)** and **Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)** have also announced they will be at the alternative event. Schiff emphasized in a video that he will not attend to avoid giving Trump “the audience he craves for the lies that he tells.”
– **Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.)** stated she will skip the traditional address to avoid listening to “that man spew lies and hate.”
### The People’s State of the Union Event
The alternative event, organized by MoveOn.org, features many Democratic lawmakers and others opposing Trump’s agenda. In addition to those mentioned, expected attendees include:
– Senators Ruben Gallego, Tina Smith, and Jeff Merkley
– House Representatives Yassamin Ansari, Becca Balint, Greg Casar, Teresa Leger Fernandez, Maxwell Frost, Robert Garcia, Jim Himes, Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, John Larson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Summer Lee, Chellie Pingree, Emily Randall, Mary Gay Scanlon, Delia Ramirez, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.
### Conclusion
The mix of guests and notable absences at President Trump’s State of the Union address illustrates the sharp political divides in the country, with each side using the occasion to emphasize contrasting visions for America’s future. As traditionally partisan lines are reinforced, the event sets the stage for intense political discourse in the coming year.
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/24/nx-s1-5723955/trump-congress-state-union-guests
