PHOTOS: Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address

President Joe Biden delivered the 2023 State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening during a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol building.

Biden devoted much of his speech to highlighting efforts over the past two years to create jobs, fight inflation and improve the nation’s infrastructure. Tuesday’s address comes as Biden hones his pitch to voters ahead of his expected announcement over the next few months that he will seek a second term in office.

But Biden sought to portray a nation dramatically different in positive ways from the one he took charge of two years ago: from a reeling economy to one prosperous with new jobs; from a crippled, pandemic-weary nation to one that has now opened up and a democracy that has survived its biggest test since the Civil War.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More from the State of the Union:

1/23

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 07: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on February 7, 2023 in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The speech marks Biden’s first address to the new Republican-controlled House. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin-Pool/Getty Images)

2/23

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 07: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on February 07, 2023 in Washington, DC. The speech marks Biden’s first address to the new Republican-controlled House. Seated behind President Biden are Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

3/23

Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., talk before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

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WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 07: U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) (2nd L), Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) and fellow Republicans react as President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on February 07, 2023 in Washington, DC. The speech marks Biden’s first address to the new Republican-controlled House. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

5/23

This video grab taken from a footage by the House Recording Studio on February 7, 2023 shows the moment US First Lady Jill Biden arrives inside the Chamber in Washington ahead of the State of the Union speech and shares a kiss with Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff. – For a surreal moment — just as Joe Biden prepared to deliver his State of the Union speech — his wife Jill Biden stole the show by appearing to plant a kiss smack on the lips of the vice president’s husband. It happened in a heartbeat: after sweeping into Congress to cheers, the first lady made her way over to the second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, and clasped his hand. (Photo by HOUSE RECORDING STUDIO / AFP) (Photo by -/HOUSE RECORDING STUDIO/AFP via Getty Images)

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First lady Jill Biden arrives before President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

7/23

Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., left, takes a selfie before the arrival of President Joe Biden to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., watch. (Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

9/23

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., applaud as President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

10/23

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 07: U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justices Amy Coney Barrett (L) and Ketanji Brown Jackson visit before President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on February 07, 2023 in Washington, DC. The speech marks Biden’s first address to the new Republican-controlled House. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

11/23

Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., laughs b before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

12/23

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 07: U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) gives a thumbs down during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on February 07, 2023 in Washington, DC. The speech marks Biden’s first address to the new Republican-controlled House. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

13/23

President Joe Biden delivers his State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

14/23

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 07: (L-R) Irish singer-songwriter Bono, applauds alongside Paul Pelosi, husband of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) during U.S. President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address in the House Chambers of the U.S. Capitol on February 07, 2023 in Washington, DC. The speech marks Biden’s first address to the new Republican-controlled House. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

15/23

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., left, talks with Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

16/23

President Joe Biden greets people as he arrives in the House chamber to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

17/23

Vice President Kamala Harris shakes hands with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., as they arrive before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

18/23

President Joe Biden greets Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson applauds as he arrives to give the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, March 1, 2023, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

19/23

President Joe Biden arrives to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

20/23

21/23

RowVaughn Wells, center, mother of Tyre Nichols, who died after being beaten by Memphis police officers, and her husband Rodney Wells, second left, are recognized by President Joe Biden as he delivers his State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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President Joe Biden arrives to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, March 1, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

23/23

President Joe Biden greets Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., as he arrives to delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7 2023, in Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)