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| What we learned from Trump's joint address to Congress | What we learned from Trump's joint address to Congress |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| In Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress, his first as president, he declared a “new chapter of American greatness”, mostly staying on the script rolling across a teleprompter. | In Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress, his first as president, he declared a “new chapter of American greatness”, mostly staying on the script rolling across a teleprompter. |
| The president’s speech was far more optimistic speech than his inaugural address, which portrayed a bleak vision of “American carnage”. Republicans were delighted, frequently applauding and cheering him, while Democrats largely sat in silence – a mirror of the last eight years of polarization in Congress. | The president’s speech was far more optimistic speech than his inaugural address, which portrayed a bleak vision of “American carnage”. Republicans were delighted, frequently applauding and cheering him, while Democrats largely sat in silence – a mirror of the last eight years of polarization in Congress. |
| “I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart,” Trump said. “The time for small thinking is over,” he added. “From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears.” | “I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart,” Trump said. “The time for small thinking is over,” he added. “From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears.” |
| Trump gave mixed messages on immigration, calling for a “merit-based” system of immigration and saying “it is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially.” | Trump gave mixed messages on immigration, calling for a “merit-based” system of immigration and saying “it is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially.” |
| He also announced a new office in the Department of Homeland Security called Voice (Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement), for the victims of crimes committed by immigrants. “We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests,” he said. | |
| But Trump also hinted that he might be open to a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented people, saying: “I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.” | But Trump also hinted that he might be open to a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented people, saying: “I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.” |
| Trump urged Republicans to create a replacement for the Affordable Care Act, saying the plan should use tax credits and savings accounts to ensure a “stable transition” from what he called a “collapsing” program. Facing angry constituents, Republicans remain divided over how to change the healthcare program, and over key provisions like its protection for pre-existing conditions. “This isn’t a game. This is life or death for people,” Trump said. | Trump urged Republicans to create a replacement for the Affordable Care Act, saying the plan should use tax credits and savings accounts to ensure a “stable transition” from what he called a “collapsing” program. Facing angry constituents, Republicans remain divided over how to change the healthcare program, and over key provisions like its protection for pre-existing conditions. “This isn’t a game. This is life or death for people,” Trump said. |
| A $1tn infrastructure plan and a $54bn injection of military spending were high on Trump’s list of priorities, although for both he needs support from spendthrift Republicans and reticent Democrats. He did not mention balancing the budget, a more conventional Republican goal, but said he had created “a deregulation taskforce” for every agency that would work “to massively reduce job‑crushing regulations”. | |
| Corporations can expect major tax cuts, Trump said, should his plan be enacted. He then said that the middle class, too, will see “massive tax relief”, although the plan proposed during his campaign would mostly create savings for the nation’s richest 1%. | Corporations can expect major tax cuts, Trump said, should his plan be enacted. He then said that the middle class, too, will see “massive tax relief”, although the plan proposed during his campaign would mostly create savings for the nation’s richest 1%. |
| The most emotional moment of the address was when Trump spoke to one of his guests, Carryn Owens, the widow of a Navy Seal killed in a raid the president authorized. Trump assured her that he was told the raid “generated large amounts of vital intelligence,” and said her husband would not be forgotten. “Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity.” | The most emotional moment of the address was when Trump spoke to one of his guests, Carryn Owens, the widow of a Navy Seal killed in a raid the president authorized. Trump assured her that he was told the raid “generated large amounts of vital intelligence,” and said her husband would not be forgotten. “Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity.” |
| Earlier on Tuesday, Trump refused to take responsibility for the decision to send the Seals on the deadly raid, and instead blamed military generals. “This was a mission that was started before I got here,” he told Fox News. “They lost Ryan.” | |
| Trump denounced the rash of bomb threats and vandalism against Jewish centers around the US, hours after suggesting the threats could be “to make someone look bad” and “the reverse could be true”. Prominent Jewish groups, including the Anne Frank Center and Anti-Defamation League, have criticized the White House’s attitude to increasing antisemitic incidents and Holocaust Remembrance Day for weeks. | Trump denounced the rash of bomb threats and vandalism against Jewish centers around the US, hours after suggesting the threats could be “to make someone look bad” and “the reverse could be true”. Prominent Jewish groups, including the Anne Frank Center and Anti-Defamation League, have criticized the White House’s attitude to increasing antisemitic incidents and Holocaust Remembrance Day for weeks. |
| After a week of silence, Trump also denounced the Kansas shooting that killed an Indian man and injured another and a man who tried to intervene, which is being investigated as a hate crime by the FBI. “We are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms,” Trump said. | After a week of silence, Trump also denounced the Kansas shooting that killed an Indian man and injured another and a man who tried to intervene, which is being investigated as a hate crime by the FBI. “We are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms,” Trump said. |
| In the Democrats’ official response, former Kentucky governor Steve Beshear (seemingly chosen for being a conservative white Southern Democrat who would appeal to Trump voters) spoke about how dangerous repealing the ACA would be, since the only alternatives offered by Republicans so far would result in millions losing coverage. | |
| Trump did not mention the hundreds of thousands of people who have protested around the world since he took office, including during the Women’s March and after his executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority nations. Many Democratic lawmakers wore white to protest Trump’s treatment and policies toward women and to honor women’s rights and the Suffragettes. | Trump did not mention the hundreds of thousands of people who have protested around the world since he took office, including during the Women’s March and after his executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority nations. Many Democratic lawmakers wore white to protest Trump’s treatment and policies toward women and to honor women’s rights and the Suffragettes. |