‘Time for small thinking is over,’ Trump declares
In a landmark address ‘from the heart,’ he sets the course for an ambitious agenda
President Trump used his first address to Congress on Tuesday to proclaim American greatness and push an ambitious agenda of economic nationalism, declaring: “The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us.”
In a speech that combined his “America First” campaign themes with the first outlines of a legislative program, Trump opened the possibility of comprehensive immigration deal, pitched $1 trillion for “Buy American, Hire American” infrastructure spending and said he would propose “historic” tax cuts.
But first, he recounted his election victory, describing it as a “quiet protest” that “became an earthquake.”
“People turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first, because only then, can we truly make America great again.”
Immigration has dominated Trump’s turbulent 51⁄ weeks in 2 the White House, and Trump touted his plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and ban travel from seven Muslimmajority nations. Trump is expected Wednesday to revive his travel order, which has been blocked by the courts.
“It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur,” Trump said. “We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America — we cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.”
Trump described the threat in terms his predecessor never did: “radical Islamic terrorism.”
But for the first time, Trump also opened a crack in the window to a comprehensive immigration overhaul — a goal that has bedeviled the past two presidents — calling for an Australian-style “merit-based immigration system” that would favor middleclass immigrants to the country.
“I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws,” he said. “If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens, then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.”
In recent years, congressional efforts to forge a new immigration regime have foundered partly because of objections to a path to legal status by many Republicans — and by many voters who supported Trump in last year’s presidential election.
The president’s speech included a laundry list of policy proposals, among them health care. “Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs and, at the same time, provide better health care. ... Action is not a choice — it is a necessity,” he said. He also promised “historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.”
On defense, Trump said he was “sending Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history,” and said his budget also would increase spending for veterans.
Trump began his speech by condemning a spate of hate incidents this month, including vandalism at Jewish cemeteries and bomb threats against Jewish community centers. Said Trump, “While we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.”