As impeachment proceedings continued and Iowa caucus results were delayed, President Trump delivered his fourth State of the Union Address. Many called for the cancellation of the speech in light of these events, but the speech went on. The address ran one hour and 18 minutes, the sixth longest in American history (Forbes).
President Trump began with this opening statement, “Three years ago, we launched the great American comeback. Tonight, I stand before you to share the incredible results.” This called back to his election and the promises that he had made during his campaign and during his presidency. He finished his opening statement saying, “The state of our union is stronger than ever before.”
From there, he focused largely on the nation’s growing economy and decreasing unemployment rates. As one of Trump’s main policies, he spent the first minutes of the speech commending his administration for growing the economy and how American workers will come first in many ways, including trade deals. He discussed tariffs and trade deals such as NAFTA, and how his administration has made them fair and reciprocal for America. He then discussed Venezuela and referenced Juan Guaidó (the disputed interim President of Venezuela against Nicolás Maduro), who was present in the gallery for the speech. He discussed the newly formed branch of the military, the Space Force, and how America was beginning a “Manifest Destiny into the stars.”
He then spent a sizeable portion discussing healthcare. He promised a continuation of private healthcare, while looking at the Democrats, saying “We will never let socialism destroy American healthcare.” He promised that if a bill was put on his desk that would lower prescription drug prices, he would sign it immediately. He then moved on to discussing immigration, praising the “very strongly guarded southern border.”
Then, unusually, he awarded Rush Limbaugh, conservative political commentator, the Presidential Medal of Freedom during the address. This came as a shock to many due to the unusual setting as well as many saying that Limbaugh does not deserve the medal, noting that he would be joining the ranks of the likes of Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall.
President Trump called on Congress several times to pass bills that he supports and to further his agenda. He also discussed foreign policy and national security, focusing mainly on the recent events in Iran and with ISIS.
In his conclusion, he called back to American heroes such as Thomas Jefferson, Harriet Tubman, and more. He called back to other moments in American history such as the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth and early explorers traveling to the frontier. He ended with the closing statement, “The best is yet to come.” In a shocking move, Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore her copy of speech in half, many applauding her act of defiance and many others calling for her to be censured. The day after the address, the Senate voted to acquit President Trump, with 52 votes for not guilty on Article I (Abuse of Power) and 53 votes for guilty on Article II (Obstruction of Congress).
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