When is the State of the Union 2023? Date of Biden's address and what to expect

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address after Republicans took control of the House of Representatives in a speech that may mark the unofficial start of the 2024 presidential campaign season.

Here is what to expect.

WHEN IS THE STATE OF THE UNION?

Biden will deliver his 2nd State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, at about 9 p.m. Eastern time (0200 GMT Wednesday). The speech will be broadcast live on the major U.S. broadcast television networks and online.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

The speech could deliver Biden his largest television audience of the year. An estimated 38.2 million people watched the speech on U.S. television last year, according to the data provider Nielsen.

That audience will give Biden a chance to shape public perceptions over the debt limit, social spending, the Russian war in Ukraine and other topics as he plans to announce his re-election campaign in the coming weeks.