Who is Claire Lai, Jimmy Lai’s daughter attending State of the Union | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload ourSocial PartnerWe are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleBrittney DonovanTuesday 24 February 2026 23:27 GMTSpeaker Mike Johnson said her attendance at Trump’s State of the Union underscores that ‘America is determined’ to secure her father’s release (AFP via Getty Images)The daughter of Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old British media tycoon imprisoned in Hong Kong for criticizing Beijing, is expected to attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.Mr Lai was handed a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious material, charges he has consistently denied.It is the heaviest penalty ever handed out under the controversial law, with the UK government describing it as "tantamount to a life sentence" given Lai's age and health concerns.US lawmakers invited Mr Lai’s daughter, Claire Lai, to Trump’s address, calling her the daughter of a “democracy and free speech champion.”“She and her brother, Sebastien—who testified at a 2023 congressional hearing I chaired on Jimmy Lai—have been absolutely amazing in their past and ongoing appeal to Xi Jinping to release their dad,” Rep. Chris Smith wrote. “They love and respect their father so much, which further inspires us all to act—including President Trump, who has raised Jimmy Lai’s unjust incarceration numerous times.”In fullTrump tries on Olympic hockey gold medal and quips he’s ‘not giving it back’ ahead of State of the Union speech: Live updatesThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in