President Joe Biden gestures as he speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on March 11, 2021.
(Mandel Ngan
/
AFP via Getty Images)
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President Joe Biden delivered his first State of the Union address Tuesday night amid a concerning time in his presidency.
His time in office has been marked by vaccine rollouts, strides to improve the United States economy and concerns about equal access to voting. His first State of the Union also offered a chance for Biden to readjust the tone of his leadership while the crisis in Ukraine continues.
Biden is expected to speak about a multitude of national and international topics that are gripping his administration’s attention, including:
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: The crisis in Ukraine has put pressure on Biden to take steps to guard national security. He and other NATO allies have opted for tough sanctions on Russia instead of direct military action to halt the Russian invasion. He’s repeatedly said that U.S. troops won’t be “engaged” in Ukraine to combat Russia, stemming from national concerns that the U.S. could become more involved.
The COVID-19 pandemic: The coronavirus and vaccine rollout have been key issues for the White House as the pandemic nears its third year. His administration has faced criticism for masking rules, its blocked attempts to mandate federal COVID-19 safety measures and the rollout of at-home COVID-19 tests during the peaks of the omicron variant.
Inflation: The price of gas is just one of many goods and services that have become more expensive, and people have felt the strain in their bank accounts.
