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As it happenedended

Trump's State of the Union 2018: President talks tough on North Korea and keeps Guantanamo Bay open as he lays out his American dream - as it happened

Mr Trump hails a 'New American Moment' in speech that also called for more co-operation between Republicans and Democrats

Clark Mindock
New York
,Alexandra Wilts,Jon Sharman
Tuesday 30 January 2018 16:30 EST
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Donald Trump at the State of the Union: 'This is our new American moment'

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President Donald Trump took centre stage in the House chamber to deliver his first State of the Union address – an 80-minute speech that swerved between bipartisan rhetoric and expressions of his ‘America First’ agenda.

His address came less than two weeks after disagreements over immigration policy led to a government shutdown, and about a week before disputes regarding government spending could result in another closure.

Despite Mr Trump's calls for unity, the divisions over the issue of immigration bubbled to the surface during the speech, with Democrats booing Mr Trump as he described his aversion to the practice of 'chain migration' - when families members join those who have already moved to the the US.

The Democrat rebuttal of Mr Trump's speech, by Joe Kennedy III, involved a number of lines of Spanish during his emotional speech, telling childhood immigrants to the US that their country would not walk away from them. A reference to those left in limbo after Mr Trump ended a programme protecting them from deportation, which has become the main bone of contention between the two parties in recent months.

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“To all the Dreamers watching tonight, let me be clear: Ustedes son parte de nuestra historia. Vamos a luchar por ustedes y no nos vamos alejar,” the Representative from Massachusetts said referiing to.

In English, he added: “You are a part of our story. We will fight for you. We will not walk away.”

Mr Trump began his address by highlighting American heroism in horrific attacks and natural disasters over the past year.

He pointed out House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, calling him the “legend from Louisiana”, who survived a life-threatening shooting at a congressional baseball practice last June.

“In the aftermath of that terrible shooting, we came together not as Republicans or Democrats, but as representatives of the people,” Mr Trump said. “But it is not enough to come together only in times of tragedy.”

The President, who is said to have disparaged immigrants in conversations with those in Congress and his advisers, later said he was “extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, colour, religion and creed.”

Mr Trump also highlighted his accomplishments across the world, touting military victories against Isis.

“One year later, I am proud to report that the coalition to defeat Isis has liberated very close to 100 per cent of the territory just recently held by these killers in Iraq and Syria,” Mr Trump said.

He also had some tough words regarding North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying Mr Kim has brutalised his own people and must give up his nuclear programme.

“Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation,” Mr Trump said. “I will not repeat the mistakes of the past administrations that got us into this dangerous position.”

Mr Trump made no mention of the federal probe into whether his campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential election, a controversy that is dogging his presidency. Mr Trump has denied collusion and has called the probe a “witch hunt.”

The speech was also short on details about Mr Trump's policy proposals, but the president sought to be optimistic, saying: "This is our new American moment".

The measured approach was welcomed by the public. A CNN/SSRS snap poll said 48 per cent of those surveyed had a “very positive” response to the speech and 22 per cent “somewhat positive.”

In the immigration section of the speech Trump declared that “Americans are dreamers too”.

Which has plenty of people talking about the arguments about immigration reforms that have dogged Congress in recent weeks.

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 03:20

"In recent weeks, two terrorist attacks in New York were made possible by the visa lottery and chain migration. In the age of terrorism, these programs present risks we can no longer afford," Trump said.

It is true that Sayfullo Saipov and Akayed Ullah, two recent alleged terrorist attackers in New York City, arrived in the US because of either family connections or the diversity visa lottery, but authorities say both were radicalized in the US — years after they came to the US.

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 03:21

Talking about his decision to name Jerusalem Israel's capital in the eyes of the US, and the outcry and condemnation it caused - he says that US aid should "only go to friends". He has threatened to cut aid to the Palestinians over their reaction to the Jerusalem decision.

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 03:23

The US President reiterated his plans to build a wall along the Mexican border, and signalled a tough stance on the “terrorists and criminals” entering the US.

Mr Trump adopted a similarly hard-hitting tone in remarks about US international relations. “Weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means of our defence,” he said.

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 03:24

He talks about his support for protests in Iran - then turns his attention to North Korea.

Mr Trump issued a stark warning about nuclear tensions with North Korea. He said the country’s “reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons could very soon threaten our homeland. We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening.”

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 03:25

There were a number of things raised in the last portion of the speech I will go into more detail about in the next few posts - but after the final ovation, President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address clocked in at one hour and 20 minutes. 

According to the American Presidency Project, that makes Trump's speech one of the longest State of the Union addresses in recent presidential history. 

President Bill Clinton's final State of the Union speech in January 2000 ran longer than Trump's at just over an hour and 28 minutes. 

Mr Clinton delivered another lengthy State of the Union address — an hour and 24 minutes — in January 1995. 

Mr Trump spoke for exactly one hour last year when he addressed a joint session of Congress, but that was not a State of the Union address. 

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 04:09

In the North Korea portion of the speech, Mr Trump commemorated Otto Warmbier, a US citizen was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor after being convicted of subversion in North Korea. He tearfully confessed he had tried to steal a propaganda banner. 

The University of Virginia student was held for more than 17 months and medically evacuated from North Korea. He returned with severe brain damage and died shortly after his return. 

Mr Trump recognised Mr Warmbier's parents during his State of the Union address. As he did so, Fred and Cindy Warmbier were moved to tears. 

Mr Trump called them "powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world." 

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 04:12

President Donald Trump's first State of the Union is the most-tweeted joint address to Congress ever, according to Twitter. 

The social network says 4.5 million tweets were sent around the annual event, surpassing last year's record of 3 million for Mr Trump's first address to Congress — which wasn't technically a State of the Union. 

According to the platform, the most tweeted moment of the speech came as Mr Trump waded into the culture wars over racial injustice protests and the national anthem. That was followed by his discussion of his immigration reform proposal and his condemnation of the international criminal gang MS-13. 

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 04:21

Bernie Sanders has blasting President Donald Trump for what he did not say during his State of the Union address. 

The 2016 presidential candidate used his Facebook page to broadcast his own retort to Mr Trump at the same time Massachusetts Rep. Joseph Kennedy III offered the Democratic Party's official response. 

Mr Sanders noted that Mr Trump did not mention Social Security or Medicare, despite promises as a candidate to protect the popular programs. 

The Vermont senator also cites wealth inequality and climate change as fundamental threats Trump failed to address. 

Mr Sanders recalled Trump touting his commitment to clean air and clean water. The senator says he struggled "not to laugh out loud" in the House chamber. 

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 04:28

As for the official Democrat rebuttal - here is our write-up:

As might have been expected, the immigration debate plays a large role.

    

Steve Anderson31 January 2018 04:48

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