Cabinet Members Who Did Not Attend the State of the Union Address (Since 1984*)
Article II, section 3 of the U.S. Constitution requires the president to "give to Congress Information on the State of the Union." Each year, one member of the president's cabinet is absent from the address, to maintain the line of succession in case of an emergency.
| Date | Absent Cabinet Member |
|---|---|
| February 24, 2026 | Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins |
| March 4, 2025** | Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins |
| March 7, 2024 | Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona |
| Feb 7, 2023 | Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh |
| Mar 1, 2022 | Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo |
| Apr 28, 2021** | None (attendance was limited owing to Covid-19 concerns) |
| Feb 4, 2020 | Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt |
| Feb 5, 2019 | Secretary of Energy Rick Perry |
| Jan 30, 2018 | Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue |
| Feb 28, 2017** | Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin |
| Jan 12, 2016 | Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson |
| Jan 20, 2015 | Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx |
| Jan 28, 2014 | Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz |
| Feb 12, 2013 | Secretary of Energy Steven Chu |
| Jan 24, 2012 | Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack |
| Jan 25, 2011 | Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar |
| Jan 28, 2010 | Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan |
| Feb 24, 2009** | Attorney General Eric Holder |
| Jan 28, 2008 | Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne |
| Jan 23, 2007 | Attorney General Alberto Gonzales |
| Jan 31, 2006 | Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson |
| Feb 2, 2005 | Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans |
| Jan 20, 2004 | Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans |
| Jan 28, 2003 | Attorney General John Ashcroft |
| Jan 29, 2002 | Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton |
| Feb 27, 2001** | Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi |
| Jan 27, 2000 | Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson |
| Jan 19, 1999 | Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Andrew M. Cuomo |
| Jan 27, 1998 | Secretary of Commerce Bill Daley |
| Feb 4, 1997 | Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman |
| Jan 30, 1996 | Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala |
| Jan 24, 1995 | Secretary of Transportation Federico Peña |
| Jan 25, 1994 | Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy |
| Feb 17, 1993** | Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt |
| Jan 28, 1992 | Secretary of Agriculture Ed Madigan |
| Jan 29, 1991 | Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan Jr. |
| Jan 31, 1990 | Secretary of Veterans Affairs Edward J. Derwinski |
| Feb 9, 1989* | Unknown |
| Jan 25, 1988 | Secretary of the Interior Donald P. Hodel |
| Jan 27, 1987 | Secretary of Agriculture Richard Lyng |
| Feb 4, 1986 | Secretary of Agriculture John Block |
| Feb 6, 1985 | Secretary of Commerce Malcolm Baldrige Jr. |
| Jan 25, 1984 | Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Samuel R. Pierce Jr. |
