After a day of insulting his opponents, Trump appeals to the spirit of ‘co-operation,’
U.S. president plays nice in State of Union address in which he calls for unity
Hours after belittling prominent Democrats, U.S. President Donald Trump called for unity and bipartisanship in a State of the Union address in which he sounded little like himself — except when warning Democrats to give in to him on immigration and to avoid investigations into his administration.
It was a speech that seemed to be a tug-of-war between Trump’s brawling instincts and his aides’ desire for a semblance of a pivot toward the centre. Trump attempted to appeal both to moderates, with uncontroversial policy proposals and lofty language about national harmony, and to his right-wing base, demanding that Democrats fund his border wall and hold off on using their powers of congressional oversight.
“We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of co-operation, compromise and the common good,” Trump, who has repeatedly spoken of his fondness for punching back at enemies, told a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.
“Together, we can break decades of political stalemate. We can bridge old divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new solutions, and unlock the extraordinary promise of America’s future,” he said. “The decision is ours to make.”
Trump’s kumbaya pitch was sure to be greeted with widespread skepticism. He has followed previous moves toward high-minded statesmanship by reverting immediately to his usual bellicosity.
This time, he could not even contain himself through the afternoon before the speech. At a lunch with television anchors, the New York Times reported, Trump called former vice-president Joe Biden “dumb,” said Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer could be a “nasty son of a bitch,” and referred to Sen. Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahontas,” which many Native Americans consider a slur.
He issued a warning to Democrats in the speech itself, saying: “An economic miracle is taking place in the United States — and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics, or ridiculous partisan investigations. If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn’t work that way.”
Trump declined to propose a path to a compromise on the most urgent partisan dispute, over his proposed border wall, which he tried to sell as a “seethrough steel barrier.” The gov- ernment faces the possibility of another shutdown over the wall after a temporary funding bill expires on Feb. 15.
Trump, speaking for more than 80 minutes, returned to the dark immigration rhetoric that has pleased his political base but alienated moderates and minorities, warning of “sadistic traffickers” and “the savage gang MS-13.” As he regularly does at his campaign rallies, he told the story of a couple murdered by an illegal immigrant.
One area of possible bipartisan co-operation is the new NAFTA agreement he signed with Canada and Mexico. Trump urged Congress to ratify the agreement he described as a vast improvement over “the catastrophe known as NAFTA” — though most of the original remains intact.
Trump said the agreement would bring back American jobs “in even greater numbers” and ensure “more cars are proudly stamped with the four beautiful words: Made in the USA.”
He gave the speech with a dismal approval rating, around 40 per cent, three months after voters sent him a message of displeasure by handing Democrats control of the House of Representatives. The speech was delayed by a week on account of the 35-day government shutdown Trump initiated over the wall, for which voters have blamed him.
He touted the economy, which continues to see strong job growth and wage growth, and progress in negotiating with North Korea and in fighting Daesh, also known as the Islamic State.
“After 24 months of rapid progress, our economy is the envy of the world, our military is the most powerful on earth, and America is winning each and every day,” he said. Trump announced a second summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un for Vietnam on Feb. 27 and 28.
Reiterating his intention to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, he called for an end to the “endless wars” he said “great nations do not fight.”
Trump proposed a major infrastructure bill for the third consecutive address to Congress. For the second straight address, he proposed an effort to lower the price of prescription drugs. And he called for funding “to eliminate the HIV epidemic” within 10 years.
Schumer delivered a preemptive rebuttal to the speech on the Senate floor, accusing Trump of “blatant hypocrisy” in calling for unity.
“It seems every year the president wakes up and discovers the desire for unity on the morning of the State of the Union, then the president spends the other 364 days of the year dividing us,” Schumer said.