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Watch live: Biden delivers State of the Union address

Julia Saqui
Thursday 07 March 2024 20:43 EST
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Joe Biden will lay out the case for his re-election and address a range of pressing issues both domestic and international when he delivers his latest State of the Union address to a joint-session of Congress tonight.

The president will tout his achievements, allay concerns about his age and warn of the threat to democracy posed by the hard right across the country ahead of a crucial election year.

In excerpts released by the White House, the president’s tone appears punchy, vowing to restore Roe v Wade, highlighting economic achievements, and targetting his predecessor Donald Trump without mentioning his name — though reminding everyone they are almost the same age.

Mr Biden is expected to cover infrastructure wins and call for greater cooperation in Congress on spending deals to avert another looming government shutdown and to resolve the illegal immigration crisis at the southern border. He will also stress the need for international unity in the face of conflicts raging in Ukraine and Gaza.

Speaker Mike Johnson has said he has sent a “very clear” message to his fellow Republicans to “turn the temperature down” and show “decorum” to avoid some of the more raucous scenes of recent years.

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