Context:

Ahead of the State of the Union, Democrats plan to host guests who are Epstein survivors and individuals affected by ICE actions, while Republicans are assembling a contrasting guest list that includes law-enforcement figures and high-profile allies. The coverage highlights a broader narrative about how attendees and invitees reflect partisan messaging, with notable inclusion of the U.S. men’s hockey team as one high-profile guest. The piece notes how some invitations hinge on controversial or politically charged associations, and points to broader implications for the SOTU’s tone and reception. Looking ahead, the interactions at the event are framed as a microcosm of ongoing political battles over justice, immigration, and foreign policy symbolism.

Dive Deeper:

• Many Democrats attending the State of the Union will bring Epstein survivors or people who were affected by ICE enforcement as guests, aiming to foreground victims and civil rights concerns amid the speech. The approach signals an intent to center accountability and humanitarian issues in the address, regardless of partisan lines about policy specifics.

• Republicans, by contrast, are inviting a slate that includes Nick Shirley, a far-right influencer whose past claims contributed to a fraud narrative in Minnesota, despite investigations finding no broad fraud. The invitees are positioned to cast doubt on federal social programs and to amplify a contrarian media narrative during the event.

• One highlighted GOP angle involves targeting roughly $10 billion in federal grants to several blue states, using the fraud claims as a pretext to justify funding cuts framed as fiscal discipline or oversight.

• In a high-visibility gesture, the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team will attend as guests of President Trump following their gold-medal win, underscoring a symbolic win for the administration despite other bipartisan optics. The women’s team will not attend due to scheduling commitments, a detail that drew commentary from the administration.

• Additional attendees include Claire Lai, daughter of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong democracy advocate, invited by Rep. Chris Smith as part of a broader slate of guests connected to human rights and pro-democracy activism abroad.

• Also on Rep. Johnson’s list are Ziba Murat, daughter of Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas, and Trott Hunt, founder of Hunt, Guillot & Associates, illustrating a mix of foreign policy signals and domestic business ties in the invite roster.