Trump has 'a lot to speak about' in State of the Union speech : NPR

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President Trump opened his State of the Union handle Tuesday night time by placing his presidency in grand historic phrases — acknowledging the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary whereas additionally declaring it's the "golden age of America."

"Tonight, after only one yr, I can say with dignity and pleasure that we now have achieved a metamorphosis like nobody has ever seen earlier than, and a turnaround for the ages," he mentioned. "We are going to by no means return to the place we had been simply a short while in the past."

People might even see that as a celebration or a risk, relying on their celebration. Trump's speech comes as the general public is extremely divided. The president's insurance policies and actions in his first yr of his second time period have strengthened these divisions – from international coverage to immigration to the economic system.

The speech comes because the president faces damaging approval scores, together with on immigration, the subject that twice helped propel him to the White Home. It additionally comes simply days after the Supreme Court docket delivered a blow to his tariff coverage and weeks after federal brokers the administration despatched into Minneapolis shot and killed two U.S. residents.

Amid these challenges, Trump can be celebrating his achievements, paying specific consideration to the economic system.

"The president is, in fact, going to tout his administration's record-setting accomplishments over the previous yr whereas laying out an formidable agenda to proceed making the American dream extra attainable and reasonably priced for working-class individuals throughout the nation," press secretary Karoline Leavitt instructed Fox Information on Tuesday morning.

She added that Trump can be "making a couple of new coverage bulletins as properly," aimed on the subject of affordability. The White Home has instructed reporters, together with NPR, that one proposal can be "ratepayer safety pledges." These would require tech corporations constructing knowledge facilities, which use huge quantities of power, to pay extra for electrical energy to mitigate worth spikes for the communities the place these facilities are constructed.

The president, for his half, has promised the speech can be prolonged.

"It should be an extended speech as a result of we now have a lot to speak about," he mentioned at a Monday White Home occasion honoring households of these killed by individuals within the nation with out authorized standing.

As Tuesday night time's speech approaches, greater than half the nation — 55% — thinks Trump is altering the nation "for the more serious," in line with the newest NPR/PBS Information/Marist ballot. That is a marked enhance from round this level in his first presidency, when 42% of People believed the identical.

Current polls additionally present the president has a deeply damaging approval score, together with damaging numbers on immigration and the economic system. These numbers are extremely partisan — Republicans nonetheless overwhelmingly approve of the president, whereas Democrats overwhelmingly disapprove. A number of polls present {that a} majority of independents disapprove of the job Trump is doing.

On financial points, Trump has been making the case to People for months — particularly since Democratic wins in November's elections — that he's working to ease the price of dwelling.

Nevertheless, on the identical time, he has remained dedicated to his tariff coverage, saying he'll impose new ones after the Supreme Court docket final week declared lots of his tariffs illegal. Tariffs have elevated costs for companies and customers, and a majority of People disapprove of his tariff will increase, in line with a current Pew Analysis Heart ballot.

Leavitt mentioned Trump has chosen friends to emphasise his financial applications, together with a pair who has benefited from the One Huge Lovely Invoice Act handed final yr, which permits employees to deduct earnings from suggestions and additional time from their annual incomes.

Trump may also be leaning into the administration's ongoing message that former President Joe Biden is accountable for any present cost-of-living issues — Leavitt instructed Fox that Trump's new insurance policies will handle "the affordability disaster that Joe Biden created." Nevertheless, multiple yr into Trump's second time period, this raises the query of how lengthy the administration can blame financial issues on Biden.

Along with on a regular basis People, Trump has invited the U.S. males's Olympic hockey staff, which simply days in the past gained the gold medal within the Winter Olympics.

In the meantime, Democratic members of Congress are approaching the speech in several methods. Some is not going to be attending, in protest towards the president, whereas others are bringing survivors of abuse by the hands of intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associates. An NPR investigation has discovered that in its launch of Epstein investigation supplies, the administration has eliminated paperwork associated to allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor.

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