Trump’s upcoming address to Congress: Arizona Democrats denounce ‘havoc’ and Republicans aren’t sure what to expect

President Donald Trump holds a Cabinet meeting on Feb. 26, 2025, in the Cabinet Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

WASHINGTON – After six weeks of throwing the economy, federal agencies and relations with allies into turmoil, Arizona Democrats say, nothing President Donald Trump tells Congress on Tuesday night could unify the country behind him.

Arizona Republicans are unsure what to expect out of Trump’s prime time State of the Union-style address.

“It’s Trump,” said Rep. David Schweikert, R-Fountain Hills. “I have no idea. … Even sometimes his speechwriters probably don’t know what he’s going to say.”

Sen. Mark Kelly said Democrats want Trump to explain the “havoc” he has caused in the short time he’s been back in power.

“What he should be addressing is … the horrible job he’s done this first month,” Kelly said in a brief interview at the Senate. “He’s firing all of these government employees without any plans, without any analysis.”

Kelly and Sen. Ruben Gallego opposed nearly all of Trump’s picks for the Cabinet. Having lost those fights, the Arizonans and other Democrats will look on as Trump’s defense secretary, attorney general and other department heads they tried to block sit in the front rows of the House chamber to hear the president.

“I want him to say that ‘I am going to be clearly focused on bringing down the cost of living for all Americans. I am going to do this in a bipartisan manner. I am going to work to bring down the cost of housing and increase the wages of Americans,’” Gallego told Cronkite News at the Senate. “And doing it without the chaos that he has caused so far.”

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Both senators plan to attend the speech, as do two of the three Arizona Democrats in the House.

First-term Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Phoenix, said in an interview that she hopes “he will address what he’s doing to improve the cost of living.”

That echoes a Democratic talking point heading into the speech – that Trump promised to bring down the price of eggs and fight inflation but instead has launched trade wars with friends and adversaries alike. The 25% tariffs he’s threatened on imports from Mexico and Canada, the largest U.S. trading partners, are set to take effect on Tuesday.

Lawmakers typically bring a guest to the speech – someone chosen to make a political point.

Rep. Eli Crane, R-Oro Valley, said he is bringing a sheriff from his sprawling district, which covers the northeast quadrant of the state.

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix, is bringing Walter Murillo, CEO of Native Health, as a guest. His goal, Stanton said in an interview off the House floor, is to highlight “the proposed Medicaid cuts on the population that he serves, the Native American population in my district.”

Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Tucson, has not voted since the first day of the new Congress on Jan. 3, House records show, and isn’t expected to attend.

He has been battling lung cancer and has said he won’t seek another term. On Tuesday, he was the only House member absent for the nailbiter vote on the president’s budget plan, which passed 217 to 215.

The first appearance before a joint session of Congress by a newly inaugurated president isn’t usually called a State of the Union address. But scholars say that regardless of the label, these speeches “serve the same ceremonial, rhetorical, and political function as a typical State of the Union,” according to the Congressional Research Service.

At least half of the six Arizona Republicans in the House are expected to attend.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, who is running for governor, hasn’t said whether he will be there. Nor have Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Scottsdale, and Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Bullhead City.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan will give the Democratic response. New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat will provide the Democrats’ Spanish-language response.

Cronkite News Washington correspondents Madeline Bates,Emma Paterson and Samuel Travis contributed to this report.