President Trump has begun delivering the State of the Union address before a divided chamber, marked by notable absences. Only four Supreme Court justices attended the annual address, and approximately 70 Democratic lawmakers chose to participate in alternative planned protests rather than sit on the House floor.
The State of the Union is a constitutional obligation outlined in Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution. Traditionally, members of Congress, the president’s Cabinet, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the justices of the Supreme Court gather in the House chamber. Attendance by Supreme Court justices is customary but not mandatory. In recent years, some justices have opted out, citing concerns about the increasingly political tone of the event.
This year, only four members of the Supreme Court were present in the chamber; those being Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and Justice Elena Kagan.
Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Sotomayor, and Jackson did not attend. Perhaps Justice Jackson is the most surprising considering her recent appointment to the highest court in the land.
On the legislative side, roughly 70 Democratic lawmakers did not attend the address. Instead, they gathered at an alternative rally focused on policy opposition and party priorities.
The Constitution requires the president to report on the state of the nation. It does not require applause, attendance, or agreement.
