The U.S. Capitol is illuminated at dusk before the address. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

Trump also announced that he will have a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on February 27 in Vietnam. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

{link:A record 128 women: "https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/Photos/Women-of-the-US-Congress/11812/"} are serving in the 116th session of the U.S. Congress. Most of them are Democrats. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

Women House Democrats pose for a photo before the address. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

Ocasio-Cortez laughs with other representatives before the speech. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

Trump shakes hands with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after the address. Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

Supreme Court Justices Roberts, Kagan and Gorsuch share a light moment at the State of the Union address. Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz, offeres a hug as she arrives with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other senators to hear the address. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. (C) joins other congresswomen wearing white in honor of women's suffrage to pose for photos before the State of the Union. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI

From left to right, Trump family members Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Lara Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. watch the speech. Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

From left to right, D-Day veterans from WWII, Pfc. Joseph Reilly, Sgt. Herman Zeitchik and Staff Sgt. Irving Locker are introduced by Trump. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

From left to right, Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh listen to Trump speak. Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

Women Democrats of the House, wearing white in honor of women's suffrage, high-five as Trump mentions women's jobs. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

"This is our future -- our fate -- and our choice to make. I am asking you to choose greatness," Trump said. "No matter the trials we face, no matter the challenges to come, we must go forward together." Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

The theme for the address was "choosing greatness," a continuation of his 2016 campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" and Trump called on Americans to "rekindle the bonds of love and loyalty and memory that link us together as citizens, as neighbors, as patriots." Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin salutes as he is recognized by the president. Aldrin was the second man on the moon. At right is Melania Trump. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI

Members of Trump's Cabinet, from left to right, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Heath and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listen to the speech. Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

Trump recognized several guests at the speech. Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

Judah Samet, a Holocaust survivor who also survived the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, is recognized during the address. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

First lady Melania Trump waves as she is introduced. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI

Trump {link:opened: "https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/02/05/Trump-in-State-of-the-Union-We-must-go-forward-together/9421549364819/"} his address with a call for bipartisanship. "As we begin a new Congress, I stand here ready to work with you to achieve historic breakthroughs for all Americans. Millions of our fellow citizens are watching us now, gathered in this great chamber, hoping that we will govern not as two parties but as one nation. The agenda I will lay out this evening is not a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda. It is the agenda of the American People," he said. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI

Trump delivers his second State of the Union address, with Vice President Mike Pence standing the background while Pelosi is seated. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI

President Donald Trump shakes hands with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as he arrives to deliver his State of the Union address. Photo by Doug Mills/UPI

Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Tuesday's State of the Union address drew nearly 50 million viewers, which makes it the most-watched speech President Donald Trump has given since taking office two years ago.

Preliminary figures from Nielsen Research showed the speech scored a 16.3 combined rating among CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox. That's a 10 percent increase over last year's speech and a better rating than any other televised address the president has given.


Traditionally, those watching a State of the Union address typically come from the president's party, suggesting Republicans were mainly behind the viewership.

For comparison, Sunday's Super Bowl drew nearly 100 million viewers -- about twice Tuesday night's numbers.

Opinion polls taken after the address showed most viewers had a positive reaction to the speech. A CNN survey showed 59 percent had a "very positive" opinion.

Results were largely divided on partisan lines.

"It will take days to fact-check all the misrepresentations that the president made tonight," Pelosi said in response. "Instead of fear-mongering and manufacturing a crisis at the border, president Trump should commit to signing the bipartisan conference committee's bill to keep government open and provide strong, smart border security solutions."

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"President Trump's speech presented a hopeful, optimistic vision for this country," Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said Wednesday. "The Department of Justice is working every day to bring us closer to that kind of future by prosecuting criminals, interdicting drugs and defending the rights of the American people in court."

Trump's first address to a joint session of Congress in 2017, not technically a State of the Union speech, saw a 16 rating, or 48 million viewers. Last year's slid to a 14.8 rating.

President Barack Obama's second State of the Union in 2011 attracted 42.8 million viewers.

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