US President Joe Biden used his annual State of the Union address to call for tax reform and gun control, and describe how he plans to tackle the country's opioid crisis, while outlining the achievements of his administration over the past two years.
Look back on Wednesday's updates as they happened in our blog.
Key events
Live updates
We'll wrap up our live coverage here
By Jessica Riga
Thank you for joining us today as we live blogged US President Joe Biden's second State of the Union address!
And a huge thank you to our crew in Washington DC for their insights and updates from literally *inside* the chamber.
Looking for more?
- READ: Here are the big moments from a testy State of the Union
- WATCH: Joe Biden's State of the Union address in full
You can catch up on Wednesday's developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest news. Bye for now!
George Santos drama, balloon stunt popped, and a fired-up Biden: Big moments from a testy State of the Union
By Jessica Riga
American politics can be a brutal business, but the State of the Union is almost always a respectful affair. This year's speech was marked by heckling, boos, and snide comments from the gallery.
These were the biggest moments from Biden's second SOTU address.
You can continue reading this piece from Joanna Robin in Washington DC and Rebecca Armitage at the link below.
Trump delivers own State of the Union response
By Andrew Thorpe
Continuing the recent tradition of various Republican factions issuing their own State of the Union responses, Donald Trump has released a pre-taped video in which he promises viewers "the real state of the union".
It's a bit like the official Republican response, but even more so.
"Millions and millions of illegal aliens from 160 different countries have stormed across our southern border ... Drug cartels are now raking in billions of dollars from smuggling poison to kill our people and kill our children," he says.
"Joe Biden's weaponised Justice Department — and I'm a victim of it — is persecuting his political opponents.
"He's leading us to the brink of World War III and on top of all of that he's the most corrupt president in American history and it's not even close."
Romney tells embattled Republican George Santos he 'shouldn't be in Congress'
By Jessica Riga
Well this is awkward.
George Santos looked like he was having the time of his life ahead of Biden's address, but US Senator Mitt Romney wasn't having it.
Romney told the fellow Republican Representative that he shouldn't be in Congress and shouldn't have taken a central seat at President Joe Biden's State of the Union address.
Romney, an elder statesman of the party and former Republican presidential candidate, was seen having a brief exchange with Santos, who has made multiple false claims about his past on his way into the House of Representatives chamber before the address.
"He shouldn't be in Congress and they're going to go through the process and hopefully get him out," Romney told reporters after the speech.
"But he shouldn't be there and if he had any shame at all he wouldn't be there."
Romney said he had told Santos as much.
Don't know who Santos is? Strap yourself in as Joanna Robin and North America correspondent Carrington Clarke introduce you in the link below.
Spare a thought for the staffers trying to get Biden back to the White House
By Andrew Thorpe
Biden reportedly stuck around on the House floor for almost an hour after finishing his State of the Union address, chatting and taking selfies with congresspeople.
Whether it was a case of the president trying to keep the cameras rolling and push back the Republican response or just a case of a former senator palling around with his political allies is an open question.
Watch Joe Biden call for ban on assault weapons
By Jessica Riga
US President Joe Biden calls for renewal of a ban on assault rifles after praising the man who disarmed the gunman behind a Lunar New Year mass shooting.
Marjorie Taylor Greene called Biden a 'liar'
By Jessica Riga
ICYMI, Biden got into a spirited exchange with Republicans during his address, drawing boos by asserting that some hardline conservatives want to end Social Security and Medicare in exchange for raising the debt ceiling, and then taking their cheers as a sign of "unanimity" not to do so.
Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had previously said he would not consider cuts to the two programs, a position that members of his caucus loudly supported during Biden's speech.
Sitting behind Biden, McCarthy shook his head as Biden raised the idea.
"I'm not saying it's a majority of you," he added. "But it's being proposed by individuals."
Multiple House Republicans, including hardliners Marjorie Taylor Greene and Byron Donalds booed. Greene yelled "liar."
Biden even urged protesting Republicans to contact his office, saying he would "give you a copy of the proposal."
Bernie Sanders was masked up
By Jessica Riga
The Senator was one of the only people in the chamber wearing a mask during US President Joe Biden's State of the Union address.
McCarthy was a fan of Sanders' speech
By Andrew Thorpe
That's a wrap for the Republican response - and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy seems to have enjoyed it.
Sanders cites next generation of Republican leaders as America's future
By Andrew Thorpe
It's more of the same as Governor Sanders nears the end of her speech, saying America is great because it is free, but "today our freedom is under attack, and the America we love is in danger".
"President Biden and the Democrats have failed you, and it's time for a change," she says.
"A new generation of Republican leaders are stepping up, not to be caretakers of the status quo, but to be change-makers for the American people."
Americans are under attack in a 'left-wing culture war', Sanders says
By Andrew Thorpe
This is an aggressive response from Sanders, who's hitting notes more typically seen in a campaign rally with a likeminded audience than a State of the Union response broadcast across the country.
"We are under attack in a left-wing culture war we didn't start, and never wanted to fight," she says.
"Every day, we are told that we must partake in their rituals, salute their flags, and worship their false idols … all while big government colludes with big tech to strip away the most American thing there is — your freedom of speech."
Is Joe Biden running in 2024 or not?
By Jessica Riga
So is that a YES for putting his hat in the ring again?!?
- Mary
Excellent question, Mary! I've asked our North America correspondent Carrington Clarke in Washington DC for his thoughts.
There's been no commitment from Joe Biden that he will seek a second term as President but he’s definitely keeping that door ajar.
This was a speech that spelled out why he believed his leadership had been good for the country but also what else he wanted to get down.
His ambition to ban assault weapons, codify a right to abortion and tax high wealth individuals more will be almost impossible while the Republicans control a chamber of congress. So, if he wants to get them done, they’ll have to happen post 2024. Which mean he’s going to have to run again.
But even if he wants to run, that doesn't mean he’ll be a shoe in for the nomination. Sitting Presidents can be challenged for their party’s nomination. It happened to Jimmy Carter in 1980 and George H W Bush in 1992. They both won those bruising encounters but then lost the general election.
Any Democrat who might be contemplating such a challenge will know, such a battle could cruel their parties chance in 2024.
Sanders goes on the attack in Republican response
By Andrew Thorpe
Sarah Huckabee Sanders begins the Republican response to Biden's speech with a personal story about her survival of thyroid cancer, but then pivots quickly to the culture warrior style she's known for.
"I'll be the first to admit, President Biden and I don't have a lot in common," she says."
"At 40, I’m the youngest governor in the country. At 80, he’s the oldest president in American history.
"I’m the first woman to lead my state. He's the first president to surrender his presidency to a woke mob that can't even tell you what a woman is.
"The choice is between normal and crazy."
Sarah Huckabee Sanders to deliver Republican response
By Shiloh Payne
Arkansas's new governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is delivering the Republican response to Biden's speech.
The daughter of Mike Huckabee, who served as governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007, Sanders was elected as the state's first female governor in November.
Prior to her gubernatorial campaign, she served as Donald Trump's press secretary from 2017 to 2019.
Yes, there was a designated survivor
By Jessica Riga
Every State of the Union there is one person selected as a "designated survivor" who doesn't attend the address, in case of a catastrophe that impairs the president and his other successors at the Capitol.
Throughout the speech, this person is housed in a secure location.
Today's designated survivor was Labor Secretary Marty Walsh.
That's it for Biden's speech!
By Jessica Riga
What did we all think? Let us know your thoughts by tapping the 'leave a comment' button.
While the address is over, stick with us as we bring you the latest reactions and analysis from Washington DC.
Biden wraps up State of the Union, calls for unity
By Jessica Riga
"My fellow Americans, we meet tonight at an inflection point," Biden says.
"One of those moments that only a few generations ever face, where the direction we now take is going to decide the course of this nation for decades to come. We are not bystanders to history. We are not powerless before the forces that confront us.
"A nation that embraces, light over dark, hope over fear, unity over division. Stability over chaos. We must see each other not as enemies, but as fellow Americans.
"I'm not new to this place. I have served about as long as everyone of you who has served here. But I've never been more optimistic about our future, the future of America. We just have to remember who we are.
"We are the United States of America and there is nothing, nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together. God bless you all. And May God protect our troops.
'Democracy must not be a partisan issue', Biden says
By Andrew Thorpe
Addressing the January 6, 2021 attack, President Biden says the US is at an "inflection point" when it comes to preserving democracy.
"Folks, there's one reason why we have been able to do all of these things, our democracy itself," he says.
"We have to protect the right to vote, not suppress that fundamental right. Honour the results of our elections, not subvert the will of the people. Uphold the rule of the law and restore trust in our institutions of democracy.
"Democracy must not be a partisan issue. It's an American issue."
He also addresses the attack on former speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul, who is in the audience.
"Such a heinous act should have never happened. We must all speak out. There is no place for political violence in America," he says.
Biden addresses opioid crisis
By Jessica Riga
"Joining us tonight Doug from New Hampshire. He wrote Jill, my wife, a letter, and me as well about his daughter Courtney," Biden says.
"Contagious laugh. His best friend. Her sister's best friend. He shared a story all too familiar to millions of Americans. And many of you in the audience. Courtney discovered pills in high school.
"It spiraled into addiction and eventually death from a fentanyl overdose. She was 20-years-old. Describing the last 8 years without her, Doug said, there is to purpose, working to end the stigma and change laws.
"He told us he wants to start the journey toward American recovery.
"Doug, we're with you. Fentanyl is killing more than 70,000 Americans a year.
"So let's launch a major surge to stop fentanyl production."
Ukraine's ambassador is in the audience
By Andrew Thorpe
President Biden cites the global effort to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia's invasion as evidence of US leadership in fraught times.
"We stood against Putin's aggression. We stood with the Ukrainian people," he tells Congress.
He points out that Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, is in the audience, and says she represents not just her nation, but the courage of her people.
"Ambassador, we are united in our support for your country," he says.
The ambassador puts a hand to her heart and mouths "thank you".
