How to watch Biden's first State of the Union address without cable tonight

U.S. President Joe Biden, seen here announcing the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominee for associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, will deliver his first State of the Union address this week.
(Image credit: Bloomberg / Getty)

It's time to watch Joe Biden's first State of the Union address online. The White House has yet to release the speech, but you can watch the presidential address on whatever news network you want, even if you don't have cable. This State of the Union arrives at another unfortunately historic moment, with crises at all angles, including the start of a war in Ukraine, the still-not over Covid-19 pandemic and an America that is still more divided than united.

State of the Union 2022 time and date

Joe Biden is delivering the 2022 State of the Union at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. today (March 1). It airs on all four major broadcast networks and most major cable news channels.

Speaking to a joint session of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, Biden will deliver the first State of the Union since former President Donald Trump's February 2020 speech. (Biden last spoke to a joint session of Congress in April 2021.)

This is Biden's first State of the Union address, and he's expected to try and argue for why his presidency is better than its current high disapproval ratings would suggest. 

President Biden will also likely make an argument for his $1.75 billion Build Back Better infrastructure bill and voting rights legislation, both of which have have not seen forward momentum in recent months.

Biden will likely provide an update on the state of the country's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, as the CDC protocols and suggestions have changed as of late, in favor of removing mask mandates.

Afterward, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will delivery the Republican Party's rebuttal to President Biden's speech. It should air on the same networks below.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Biden's State of the Union online, live and without cable.

How to watch Biden's State of the Union from anywhere on Earth

No matter where you are in the world, you shouldn't be separated from your preferred means of following the news. Sure, you could watch the State of the Union on YouTube from anywhere below, but if you want analysis from the network of your choice without geo-restrictions blocking you, you're not out of luck. With a virtual private network, or VPN, you can appear to be surfing the web from your hometown (or somewhere that blackouts won't hit), and access the same streaming services you already paid for. 

Not sure which VPN is right for you? We've tested many different services and our pick for the best VPN overall is ExpressVPN. It offers superb speeds and excellent customer service. But you've got other VPN options as well.

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How to watch Biden's State of the Union on CNN

CNN's coverage of Biden's State of the Union address begins at 8 p.m. ET, with an hour of pre-speech coverage led by Jake Tapper. Analysis will be provided by Dana Bash and Abby Phillip among others. 

CNN will air the State of the Union live at 9 p.m. ET. The broadcast can be viewed on CNN, CNN en Español and CNN International.

Viewers can also follow along on CNN's apps for iOS and Android, and via CNNgo apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast and Android TV. Coverage is also available on CNN.com.

If you've cut the cord, it's easy to get the CNN channel. It's available on two of the best streaming services: Sling TV and FuboTV

Sling TV

Sling TV offers CNN in both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange packages. Right now, new subscribers can get either for just $10 for the first month. Both plans come with varying channel lineups that include ESPN, Bravo, Food Network, HGTV, TNT and more. 

Fubo.TV:a seven-day free trial

Fubo.TV: The best streaming service for getting sports and news streams, Fubo has all of the right network channels and the cable channels you don't want to go without. Who needs cable? Not Fubo subscribers. It's got a seven-day free trial so you don't need to pay up front.

How to Biden's State of the Union on Fox News

Fox News will also air Biden State of the Union live at 9 p.m. ET, anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, with support from Dana Perino, Brit Hume and Harold Ford Jr.. 

The news network is available on Sling TV, but only on Sling Blue. FuboTV also has Fox News. 

Sling TV

Fox News is on the Sling TV Blue package, which also has local NBC and Fox channels (in select markets) and a slew of cable networks like FX, Cartoon Network, Syfy and USA. Sling TV is one of the least expensive live TV services in the market.

Fubo.TV

Fubo.TV provides plenty of ways to stay informed with the news and it's the most complete streaming service for sports fans. Get access to local ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates, as well as ESPN and NFL Network. 

How to watch Biden's State of the Union on MSNBC

Over on MSNBC, coverage of the Biden State of the Union address will start at 8 p.m. ET. Rachel Maddow will lead the coverage, supported by Joy Reid and Nicolle Wallace. 

While the State of the Union begins at 9 p.m. ET, MSNBC will be airing preview coverage starting at 6 a.m. ET as an edition of Morning Joe focuses on the speech

Sling TV

MSNBC is on the Sling TV Blue package, which also has AMC, BET, Food Network and FX. Sling TV is one of the most affordable streaming services available, and Sling Blue also adds in NFL Network, local Fox and NBC affiliates, TNT and USA.

Fubo.TV

Fubo.TV is one of the most complete live TV services. It's got both FX and FXX, Comedy Central, AMC, HGTV and much more. Football fans will also want Fubo for access to every channel they need for NFL live streams, with CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC and the NFL Network.

How to watch Biden's State of the Union for free

Below, we've embedded The White House's YouTube live stream of the State of the Union. 

Own a Roku? You can get free coverage of the Biden State of the Union address from The Roku Channel. ABC News Live, NBC News NOW and Newsy are among the channels in the streamer's free offerings. 

Newsy is also available for free on Amazon FireTV, Vizio, Samsung, Apple TV, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Android TV, Plex and Stirr, as well as YouTube, Facebook and newsy.com

Want a more comical kind of drama? Here's our guide for how to watch Joe vs Carole online.

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.