President Trump in his State of the Union address Tuesday night issued a call for unity and an end to the political divisiveness that has ensnared Washington.
“We meet tonight at a moment of unlimited potential. As we begin a new Congress, I stand here ready to work with you to achieve historic breakthroughs for all Americans,” the president said in his speech. “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’s the agenda of the American people.”
Still, despite the president’s pitch for compromise, he heavily stressed the need for a wall along the southern border as vital for protecting the security of the country, an issue that has divided Republicans and Democrats and spurred the government shutdown that left parts of the government shuttered for five weeks and federal workers without pay.
During the speech, the theme of which was “choosing greatness,” the president raised five areas for which Democrats and Republicans campaigned: American jobs and fair trade, rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure, reducing the price of healthcare and prescription drugs, creating a safe and lawful immigration system, and pursuing a foreign policy agenda that “puts America’s interests first.”
“There is a new opportunity in American politics if only we have the courage together to seize it,” Trump said. “Victory is not winning for our party. Victory is winning for our country.”
The president struck notes of unity and bipartisanship with his speech, which marked the third address he has delivered before a joint session of Congress and lasted 82 minutes. During the remarks, he urged lawmakers in attendance to put aside their differences and reject gridlock.
“We can make our communities safer, our families stronger, our culture richer, our faith deeper, and our middle class bigger and more prosperous than ever before,” the president said. “But we must reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution — and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good.”
Trump used his address to tout the accomplishments of his first two years in office, including the passage of tax reform in 2017 and the addition of more than 5 million new jobs to the economy. He also noted the legislative achievements of the last Congress, including reforms to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the farm bill, and criminal justice reform.
Trump’s comments about the economic gains particularly benefiting women earned the him a standing ovation and chants of “USA, USA” from lawmakers led by female members, including Democrats.
“Don’t sit yet. You’re going to like this,” he joked. “And exactly one century after Congress passed the constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote, we also have more women serving in Congress than at any time.”
But the president took aim at the ongoing investigations on Capitol Hill, including those focused on his administration and presidential campaign. Those probes are expected to ramp up this Congress, with Democrats now controlling the House and gaining subpoena power.
“An economic miracle is taking place in the United States, and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics, or ridiculous partisan investigations,” Trump said. “If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way.”
Casting a shadow over the State of the Union is the ongoing fight over funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and efforts to avert a second government shutdown. Trump continued to push for Congress to quickly pass legislation that will fund a slew of government agencies, for which funding will lapse Feb. 15, and secure the U.S.-Mexico border.
“This is a moral issue,” the president said of border security. “The lawless state of our southern border is a threat to the safety, security, and financial well‑being of all Americans. We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens. This includes our obligation to the millions of immigrants living here today, who followed the rules and respected our laws.”
Trump added, “Simply put, walls work and walls save lives. So let’s work together, compromise, and reach a deal that will truly make America safe.”
During his speech, the president reiterated his request for Congress to pass the new United-States-Mexico-Canada Agreement as well as an infrastructure package, which he called a “necessity.”
But he also revealed his forthcoming budget will call for $500 million to fund research for new therapies for childhood cancer, as well as a plan for nationwide family leave.
The president in his State of the Union lambasted an abortion law passed in New York — as well as Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, for recent comments supportive of late-term abortion. To “defend the dignity of every person,” Trump urged Congress to pass a bill barring late-term abortion.
“Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life,” he said. “And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: All children — born and unborn — are made in the holy image of God.”
In advocating his national security agenda, Trump praised his own efforts to secure more funding for the military and push for a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.
The president called his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a “good one” and announced he will meet with Kim for a second summit in Vietnam on Feb. 27 and Feb. 28.
He went on to reaffirm his decision to withdraw troops from Syria, though the move has earned Trump criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike.
“As we work with our allies to destroy the remnants of ISIS, it is time to give our brave warriors in Syria a warm welcome home,” Trump said.
The president closed his address by honoring a pair of Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans who stormed the beaches of Normandy and helped liberate concentration camps. In honoring the sacrifices of America’s veterans, Trump implored lawmakers to reject partisanship and division.
“What will we do with this moment? How will we be remembered?” he asked. “I ask the men and women of this Congress: Look at the opportunities before us! Our most thrilling achievements are still ahead. Our most exciting journeys still await. Our biggest victories are still to come.”
Trump added: “We have not yet begun to dream. We must choose whether we are defined by our differences — or whether we dare to transcend them. We must choose whether we will squander our inheritance — or whether we will proudly declare that we are Americans. We do the incredible. We defy the impossible. We conquer the unknown.”
