President George W. Bush’s most significant major speech was his First State of the Union Address, delivered on January 29, 2002, commonly known as the “Axis of Evil” speech. His first major speech was his Inaugural Address, of January 20, 2001, and his 2002 State of the Union speech marked the second time he addressed a joint session of Congress. Speaking four months after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Bush focused on the aftermath of the attacks and the war in Afghanistan that started in October. He identified three nations believed to be variously holding chemical and biological weapon arsenals, developing nuclear weapons, and sponsoring terror groups.