What will Trump say in his Tuesday address? We look to the past for some clues. Source: The Trump-Congress Joint Address Surprises
The political dynamics this time are different than in 2020. There will be a Republican speaker behind Trump.
It wasn’t just the president bringing the made-for-TV moments in 2020. After Trump concluded his address, Pelosi picked up her printed copy of his remarks and ripped them in half.
“Amy, there is one more thing,” Trump said, relishing the moment. “I am so happy to tell you that your husband is back from deployment and we couldn’t keep him waiting any longer,” I said.
Source: What will Trump say in his Tuesday address? We look to the past for some clues
Reality TV vs. Reality TV: What Happens When President Trump Celebrated His First State of the Union Address? The Case for 2020
Republicans liked it. The Democrats were shocked. Typically guests who get mentioned in the State of the Union have a story that will bring the country together. Limbaugh was a partisan warrior, beloved on the political right and reviled by the left.
But no one expected what came next. Trump awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom, right then and there, asking first lady Melania Trump to put the medal around his neck.
And then there was an emotional tribute to conservative talk radio personality Rush Limbaugh, who had recently been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.
“There was no way to divorce the political realities of what President Trump was going through during that very time, from the State of the Union speech,” said Steven Groves, who was a deputy press secretary in the White House at the time.
She thinks they should be a little bit boring. She described Trump’s approach as performative. “It really is very much like a wild card. The State of the Union address has the same flavor but there is a bit of Reality TV added to it.
Compared to past presidents, Trump claims more credit and asks less of lawmakers – and his guests have been chosen to drive a more partisan message, said Donna Hoffman, a political scientist at the University of Northern Iowa whose specialty is the State of the Union.
In normal times, a president’s annual speech to Congress is a recitation of accomplishments, an update on the economy and foreign affairs, with a few new proposals thrown in for good measure.
“It was drama-filled … you never knew what was going to come out of the president’s mouth,” said Cheri Bustos, a former Democratic congresswoman from Illinois, who was in the chamber that night. “I mean, it was a State of the Union like none other.”
Delivered the day before the Senate voted to acquit him in his first impeachment case, and as COVID began to spread in the United States, Trump’s 2020 address was part reality TV, part gameshow and part WWE smackdown.
In theState of the Union address from 2020, there may be some clues about how Trump may approach this task of presidency.
When President Trump travels to the House for his first address to a joint session of Congress since his retaking the White House on Tuesday, he is expected to lay out some plans for the year ahead.
The speech comes as the administration is seeking to dramatically reshape the federal government, crack down on illegal immigration and redefine the U.S. role abroad.
He will address Congress at a time when Republicans hold a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Legislation to fund the president’s campaign promises has been slow going despite the majority.
Trump’s speech is set to start at 9 p.m. ET. NPR’s live special coverage and analysis of the president’s joint address and the Democratic response will also begin at 9 p.m. ET.
You can watch our live in-studio video coverage on NPR.org, and if you have an internet enabled phone, you can ask NPR to play Special Coverage.
What you need to know about Trump’s address to joint session of Congress: NPR/PBS/Marist/Skyrmior poll
Trump has launched a blitz of actions since taking office, and Tuesday’s address will offer him an opportunity to tout his agenda to viewers in prime time — many of whom could have concerns, according to a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. The poll found that 53% of respondents think the state of the union is not strong, and 54% say the country is headed in the wrong direction.
In his address, Trump is expected to double down on his administration’s government restructuring initiative, called the Department of Government Efficiency, which he has turned to billionaire Elon Musk to lead.
As a result of this effort, the administration has laid off tens of thousands of federal workers and closed several agencies which resulted in a lot of confusion among federal employees.
Trump is also expected to talk about his plans for reducing illegal immigration. The asylum process at the southern border as well as refugee relocation were suspended after he took office. He tried to end birthright citizenship for children that were born in the United States to parents who were not legal immigrants. However, two federal judges blocked the effort. The White House has sought to portray the crackdown on illegal immigration as a wholesale success, but critics say that the administration’s hard-line policy is feeding into misperceptions about immigrants and crime.
The address may include some mention of tariffs. Trump has already imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and has vowed to impose steep tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Federal data show that the amount of fentanyl entering the United States is falling despite the president saying the tariffs are to reduce illegal border crossings.
In the Middle East, Trump has said he wants the U.S. to take ownership of the Gaza Strip and redevelop the territory — in what would be a drastic and unprecedented shift in U.S. relations in the region. He has provided little additional detail on how the effort would work.
There are questions about the U.S.’ role in brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, particularly after last week’s heated Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy.
Source: What you need to know about Trump’s address to joint session of Congress
Trump’s Address to Joint Session of Congress: What you need to know about a Two-Year-Old President
There is an address to a joint session of Congress, like the State of the Union one, which takes place around the same time each year. But they have slightly different purposes.
That said, Trump is in a unique situation. He will offer a different approach to governance than his predecessor but also stand in front of the Congress as a two-year term president with little margin for error. He’s the first president to serve two non-consecutive terms in a long time.
After Trump’s address on Tuesday, Slotkin will give a speech. It was a rare bright spot for Democrats when Slotkin won in a state they lost their majority in in the Senate.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat will give the Spanish language response. Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., will also give a response for progressives from the Working Families Party.
Source: What you need to know about Trump’s address to joint session of Congress
Defending Trump in the First Five Years: An Empirical Analysis of the Republican Debate on the Problem of Inflation and the Rise of the Black Hole
Economic issues are likely to be the focus of these rebuttal remarks. Democrats lost on the issue of rising prices, so they made it a priority in their messaging. Inflation has not been a focus of the presidency of Donald Trump. Expect Trump’s close relationship with Musk to also face criticism.