It’s a long-standing tradition for lawmakers to invite guests to a president’s address to Congress to send a message.
This year, Democrats are inviting fired federal workers or those who have been harmed by the Trump administration’s actions during his first month back in office. Meanwhile, Republicans are inviting guests that give life to the president’s agenda.
Two hundred to 300 guests typically attend State of the Union or joint addresses to Congress. The president and first lady usually invite about two dozen guests. Congressional representatives are usually issued one guest ticket and members of leadership typically have more tickets to disburse.
Guests are seated in the upper level of the chamber, which is used for visitors and the press. The entire chamber can accommodate about 950 people. When President Donald Trump addresses Congress on Tuesday, here’s who will be watching from the audience.
Fired federal employees
Democrats are inviting fired federal workers which has energized constituents across the country in recent weeks in an effort to shine a light on what they believe are harmful cuts from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will bring Alissa Ellman, a disabled veteran who was recently fired from her position at the Buffalo, New York Veterans Affairs office. Tiffany Ramos, who was fired from her position at the Department of Agriculture will attend the speech as a guest of the New York Senator as well.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) the ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee is bringing Michael Missal, the former Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs, who was terminated by Trump, along with other inspectors generals in January.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who will be delivering the rebuttal to the joint address, will be bringing Andrew Lennox, a 35-year-old Marine veteran who was working as an administrative officer at a VA hospital and was fired due to DOGE cuts.
“What I was doing was enabling those doctors, those nurses, those providers, to focus on the veterans,” Lennox said in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “Everyone at the VA, now that I’m gone and these other employees — the work is still there, it’s going to be spread amongst our colleagues and our teams.”
The 35-year-old Marine veteran was working as an administrative officer at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) will bring Ashley Ranalli, a National Park Service ranger who was recently fired along with an estimated 1,000 other park service workers in recent weeks.
“These indiscriminate cuts of Park Service personnel are devastating to the parks and their local communities,” Warner said. “I’m glad that Ashley is able to join as my guest for the address to Congress so that President Trump can look out into the audience and face a Virginian directly affected by his short-sighted and reckless choices.”
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) will bring Kyle Rahn, a disabled Army veteran who worked for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) will bring Jason King, a disabled veteran who was fired from the Federal Aviation Administration’s safety division as a result of DOGE cuts.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) announced he invited Jamie Werner, a recently terminated worker with the U.S. Forest Service.
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) announced her guest will be Luke Graziani, an Army veteran fired from a New York VA hospital.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) will bring Nancy Bolan, a constituent who was fired from the U.S. Agency for International Developmen.
Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) will bring Adam Mulvey, a disabled Army veteran who worked at a federal healthcare center in Illinois but was dismissed due to a directive from the Department of Government Efficiency.
“I don’t see how there will be no impact to care for veterans, pulling people away from the support roles. Pulling people away from the supply and from the facilities maintenance and from emergency management, where I work, is all going to have an impact upon the facility,” Mulvey said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) will bring a recently terminated scientist who does not want to be identified.
Rep. Eric Sorenson (D-IL) will bring James Diaz, a disabled veteran terminated from the IRS.
Medicaid recipients/health research
Democrats have also been eager to warn that Republicans could put Medicaid and other health research at risk in the upcoming budget fight.
Schumer also extended an invitation to Emma Larson, who received treatment for her spinal muscular atrophy due to a reimbursement from the National Institutes of Health, as well as Jessica Martinez and Ana Medina Garcia, recipients of Medicaid from New York.
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NM) announced she will bring Cheri Byer, a Medicaid beneficiary who was able to access residential addiction treatment while she battled addiction and other mental health challenges.
“If Congressional Republicans and President Trump pass their budget plan to gut Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for corporate special interests and billionaires, it is people like Cheri and the mothers in recovery that she supports who will pay the price,” Hassan said in a statement.
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) will bring Dominic Rampa, who has relied on Medicaid to help cover treatments associated with nine genetic disorders he lives with, along with his mother.
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) is bringing Susan Perri, a retired special education teacher who is a Medicaid recipient and who has benefitted from NIH research.
Local heroes
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) will bring Frank Lima, a Los Angeles City fire captain and firefighter union leader, who was on the front lines fighting the fires in Los Angeles in January.
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) announced he will bring Captain Vincent Culliver, a 25-year federal firefighter for the Vandenberg Space Force Base Fire Department, who was on the front lines of the Eaton Fire.
Constituents bracing for Trump tariffs
Democrats are highlighting the challenges some of their constituents are facing after Trump said 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will take effect on Tuesday.
Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) announced he will bring Allison Hope, the executive director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, who he said is bracing for the economic fallout of Trump’s tariffs on Canada.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) will bring Rebecca Hamilton, a New Hampshire small business owner who may be affected by the tariffs on Mexico and Canada.
Israel-Hamas War
Schumer will also bring the parents of two Israeli hostages from New York who were murdered on Oct. 7, 2023, to advocate the safe return of all hostages. Orna Neutra, the mother of Omer Neutra and Ruby Chen, the father of Itay Chen will be in attendance.
“I am honored to stand with Orna Neutra and Ruby Chen as we call on all relevant parties to take every action possible to bring home Omer, Itay, and every single hostage,” Schumer said in a statement.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) announced she was bringing Dr. Adam Hamawy, a surgeon and Army veteran who returned from his second volunteer mission in Gaza.
Guests invited by Republicans
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) announced she will host Scott Root, the father of the late Sarah Root, who was killed the night of her college graduation by an undocumented immigrant in a drunk driving accident.
“After a nine-year battle for change, this week we remember Sarah and the fact that under the leadership of President Trump, our nation’s laws will no longer prioritize illegal immigrants over Americans,” Ernst said in a statement.
Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) announced he will bring Minnesota Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth along with hockey legends Buzz Schneider and Rob McClanahan.
“Whether through leadership in our state or unforgettable contributions to one of the most iconic moments in sports history, these individuals represent the best of Minnesota and the American spirit,” Emmer said in a statement.
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Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) extended an invitation to Silk Road founder, Ross Ulbricht, who was pardoned by President Trump after he was sentenced to life in prison for running an underground online drug marketplace, according to reporting from Semafor. Massie had been calling for a commutation of Ulbricht’s conviction since May 2022.
Rachel Schilke and Lauren Green contributed to this report. This is a developing story.
