State of the Union guests: Trump invites Erika Kirk, parents of slain National Guard member

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is preparing to deliver the first State of the Union Address of his second term on Tuesday night.

During his speech, the President is expected to talk about the economy, immigration and political violence. As part of that effort, he's invited several high-profile guests to join him at the Capitol.

RELATED: State of the Union: What to expect from Trump

Here's who will be there:

Erika Kirk

Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, will be one of President Trump's guests at Tuesday's address, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced.

Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September 2025, during a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University. According to Leavitt, Erika Kirk will be there as part of the President's message condemning political violence.

Evalea and Gary Beckstrom

Also among Trump's guests on Tuesday are Evalea and Gary Beckstom, the parents of U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, the White House told Fox News. Sarah Beckstrom, a member of the West Virginia National Guard, was shot and killed on the streets of Washington, D.C., the day before Thanksgiving 2025. 

RELATED: Afghan national facing murder charge for DC shooting after National Guard member dies

Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was also shot in the attack, but survived.

Dalilah Coleman

Seven-year-old Dalilah Coleman will also be in attendance, the White House confirmed to Fox News. Coleman was critically injured in a pileup on a California highway in 2024. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the man arrested for allegedly causing the crash is an undocumented immigrant from India.

U.S. Men's National Ice Hockey Team

Fresh off their Olympic gold, members of the U.S. Men's National Hockey Team will be at the Capitol Tuesday night. After arriving at Joint Base Andrews, the players visited Trump at the White House.

The President's congratulatory phone call to the men's team after their win against Canada on Sunday has garnered national attention for players' reaction to Trump saying he would "have to" also extend an invitation to the U.S. Women's National Hockey team, which won gold three days earlier.

Women's team not attending

The women's team declined the President's invitation to the State of the Union address, citing "timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments," USA Hockey told Sports Illustrated. 

RELATED: Women’s US Olympic hockey team declines State of the Union invite

Melania Trump's guests

The White House announced Melania Trump's guests earlier on Tuesday, including Sierra Burns, a participant in the First Lady's Foster Youth To Independence Program, and Everest Nevraumont, a 10-year-old student from Texas who is an AI-education advocate and TexX speaker.

"Sierra and Everest embody my ongoing mission to uplift America’s foster youth and expand opportunity for our next generation through education and technology," Melania Trump said. "I am proud to have them join me at this historic event."

Other Congressional guests

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) shared his invite list on social media. It includes the crew of NASA's Artemis II mission, 

Also joining Johnson on Tuesday is Hanan Lischinsky, the brother of Yaron Lischinsky, one of two Israeli Embassy staffers who were shot and killed in D.C. in May.

"On May 21, 2025, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were murdered on the streets of Washington, D.C. These two young diplomats of the Israeli Embassy, devoted to the cause of peace and to one another, had their futures stolen in a violent act of antisemitism," Johnson wrote on X. "Yaron’s brother, Hanan Lischinsky, has shown remarkable courage in shedding light on the extremism that took his brother’s life. I am honored to invite him as my guest for President Trump’s State of the Union address."

Several members of Congress, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) have invited Jeffrey Epstein survivors.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has invited family members of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died a week ago at 84.

Additionally, several dozen Democratic Congress members are boycotting Tuesday's address entirely.

Democrats' State of the Union rebuttal

Local perspective:

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will be delivering the Democratic Party's rebuttal immediately following Trump's address Tuesday night. Spanberger will speak from Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area in Virginia.

"I look forward to joining Virginians in this historic place to lay out the next chapter of our story — a clear vision for a stronger, safer and more affordable future for every American who calls our nation home," Spanberger said.

PoliticsDonald J. Trump