WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, laying out the agenda for his presidency and, in broad terms, his vision for the country.
Pulling from his campaign speeches and others since taking office, the president ran off a list of accomplishments since taking office and issued promises for the year ahead. Trump highlighted new lobbying restrictions, and executive orders he put in place to reduce regulations, restart halted oil and gas pipelines, and crack down on illegal immigration.
“Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people,” Trump said.
He touted “billions” in new investments by American companies in the weeks since his inauguration, seeking to highlight the actions his administration has taken to keep his campaign promises.
He vowed to usher in “historic” tax reform, as he appeared to nod to a House Republican “border adjustment” plan, but did not explicitly endorse it.
“Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes — but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them nothing or almost nothing,” said Trump.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said, “I was encouraged by the unifying, optimistic address delivered by President Trump this evening. I was very pleased to hear the president call on members of both parties to come together on behalf of the American people and focus on creating jobs, growing our economy, helping our veterans, and keeping our nation safe.
“I look forward to working with the president and with members of Congress in both parties to tackle the important challenges we face, both at home and abroad.”
Maine Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin of the 2nd Congressional District said, “I look forward to working with the White House to get our nation back on the right track and I will continue to do everything I can to help grow jobs in Maine, oppose unfair trade, and make sure our veterans are given the services they were promised, have earned and deserve.”
Maine Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree of the 1st Congressional District said, “I was encouraged to hear President Trump touch on several things tonight where we can find agreement, including rebuilding our country’s infrastructure, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, strengthening trade, and finding compromise on comprehensive immigration reform. We desperately need to update our immigration policies to respond to our country’s evolving needs. In particular, I hope we can keep families together and create a path to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants who’ve only known this country as their home.”
Reiterating a much-repeated campaign promise, Trump vowed midway through his speech to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act but stopped short of resolving disagreements among Republicans about how to do that.
He also pressed his policies on immigration, including his controversial proposal to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We want all Americans to succeed — but that can’t happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law at our borders,” said Trump.
Trump challenged members of Congress who disagree with him. “I would ask you this question: What would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?”
He did call for Republicans and Democrats to work toward reforming the immigration system into a merit-based program focused on the “well-being of American citizens.”
Trump argued that the country’s current focus on low-skilled immigration hurts American workers and strains the country’s finances.
The comments come hours after Trump said in a meeting with journalists that he would support comprehensive immigration reform efforts with a pathway to legalization for law abiding immigrants.
In his remarks before Congress, Trump did not specify the parameters of a compromise he would be willing to accept. But he outlined a preference for a system that favors immigrants who are able to support themselves financially.
“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,” Trump said.
Trump also vowed to take on “radical Islamic terrorism,” a divisive term that many have taken issue, arguing it unfairly singles out the Muslim religion.
He also pledged to announce new steps to bolster national security and “keep out those who would do us harm,” weeks after his executive order barring immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries was halted by a federal judge.
Pointing to statistics on terror convictions by foreigners from the Department of Justice, Trump said that it was “reckless” to allow foreigners into the country who could then perpetrate attacks on Americans.
“We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America — we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists,” Trump said.
Though Trump did not specifically mention the travel ban, he suggested that new efforts to put in place “improved vetting procedures” would be forthcoming.
Later in his speech, there were some audible groans in the crowd as Trump announced that he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to address victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. The office is called “VOICE” — which stands for “Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement.”
As he often did on the campaign trail, Trump mentioned Jamiel Shaw, whose teenage son was killed by an undocumented immigrant.
In a highly emotional moment, President Trump led an extended tribute to a U.S. Navy SEAL William “Ryan” Owens, the first U.S. service member to die in the line of duty during Trump’s administration.
With Owens’ widow, Carryn, sitting in the audience, Trump called him “a warrior and a hero” who gave his life for his nation.
“Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity,” Trump said. “For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
“Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country and for our freedom — we will never forget Ryan,” Trump added.
The comments, which were received with protracted applause, come in the midst of a tense time for Trump. Owens died during a raid in Yemen that left him and civilians dead, prompting a series of investigations by the Defense Department.
Owens’ father, William Owens, has also spoken out against the raid, questioning why it was authorized so quickly after Trump came into office.
Trump defended the raid Tuesday, saying that his Defense Secretary Jim Mattis recently told him that it was a “highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies.”
As Trump spoke, Owens’ wife stood and wept openly as the room applauded her.
Trump began the night by strongly denouncing recent threats to Jewish community centers across the country and condemned a recent attack on Indian immigrants in Kansas.
“We are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms,” Trump said.
The Washington Post’s Mike DeBonis and Kelsey Snell contributed to this report.