WASHINGTON—Michael Knowles and Isabel Brown will attend the State of the Union on Tuesday, the latest sign of The Daily Wire’s growing influence in the nation’s capital.
Brown will join West Virginia Congressman Riley Moore (R), while Knowles will attend as a guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“Michael Knowles is one of America’s most influential commentators on politics and culture and a major asset to the conservative movement,” Johnson said. “As an author, podcaster, and commentator, Michael has done exceptional work advancing our cause and speaking truth with clarity and conviction. It’s my distinct honor to host him at the Capitol for President Trump’s State of the Union address.”
This will be Knowles’ second time attending the State of the Union, having previously been the guest of Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) in 2024. It’s the first State of the Union for Brown, whom Moore praised for her steadfast defense of conservative values.
“I am honored to announce that Isabel Brown will join me as my guest for President Trump’s State of the Union address,” Moore said. “Isabel is a devout Catholic who stands firm in her beliefs and works continuously to promote faith, family, and freedom in her work at The Daily Wire. Isabel inspires countless Americans to stand firm in their faith, and I am glad to welcome her as my guest.”
The Daily Wire’s presence at the State of the Union is the latest sign of the site’s growing cachet in Washington, D.C. Mary Margaret Olohan was named The Daily Wire’s first White House correspondent minutes after President Trump returned to office. Her reporting has brought her around the country with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, and earned The Daily Wire a permanent seat in the White House Briefing Room.
Knowles and Brown have each participated in new media events at the White House, interviewing such figures as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Brown has become a regular sight on Pennsylvania Avenue, moderating a panel with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and others on Trump Accounts.
Outside the White House, Daily Wire reporters have interviewed figures including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Democratic Senator John Fetterman. In December, Brown joined Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at Reagan National Airport to discuss the Trump administration’s efforts to improve air travel.
In addition to Knowles and Brown, Republican guests for the evening include members of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team, whom President Trump invited personally shortly after their gold medal win in Milan.
Democrats are taking a slightly different tack to the evening’s address, which has Washington abuzz. In addition to the usual opposition response, which this year will be delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D), Democrats are planning a day’s worth of events to protest the president.
The slate of Democrat counter-programming begins Tuesday morning with a “prebuttal” from New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver (D). The address will be streamed on the left-leaning site MeidasTouch, which is also hosting a “People’s State Of The Union” rally on the National Mall during Trump’s speech. Prominent Democrat lawmakers, including California Senator Adam Schiff, have said they will skip the State of the Union to attend the alternative event.
The Daily Wire will be broadcasting live from that rally, as well as from inside the Capitol and throughout Washington on Tuesday evening. Be sure to tune in to our live coverage beginning at 7:45 p.m. ET, and follow along all day with our live blog, where our reporters will be bringing you all the news you need to know before, during, and after the speech.
