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Who will — and won't — be guests at the State of the Union address

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By

Ayana Archie

President Trump is seen during a visit to the Fort Bragg U.S. Army base earlier this month in Fort Bragg, N.C. Nathan Howard/Getty Images hide caption

President Trump's guests for his State of the Union address on Tuesday night include a Virginia teen at the center of a legal case involving parental rights and schooling, the U.S. men's hockey team and Erika Kirk, the widow of activist Charlie Kirk.

While the White House kept Trump's full guest list under wraps for now, presidents traditionally extend invites to people who align with issues they support. First lady Melania Trump has picked her own attendees to highlight her platforms on AI education and foster care.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has invited the daughter of a Uyghur doctor who went missing in 2018. Several Democratic lawmakers are bringing survivors of alleged sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein.

Traditionally, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle attend the address. However, this year at least five Democratic senators and 14 members of the House are choosing to skip over their opposition to Trump's agenda, and planning to attend an alternate event staged by MoveOn.org called "The People's State of the Union."

Here's who will, and won't, be there.

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