In his first State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Donald Trump focused his speech on the nation’s military operations, infrastructure and immigration.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump signed a new executive order to keep the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, open, reversing a decision by former President Barack Obama to close the prison.
“Today, I am keeping another promise,” Trump said during his address. “I just signed an order directing [Defense] Secretary [James] Mattis to re-examine our military detention policy, and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay. I am also asking Congress to ensure that in the fight against ISIS and Al Qaeda we continue to have all necessary power to detain terrorists–wherever we chase them down. ”
The executive order states that the U.S. may transport additional detainees to the prison when it deems it necessary to protect the nation. It also says the order requires the defense secretary to recommend policies to the president regarding the disposition of individuals captured, which includes the transfer to U.S. Naval Station Guantánamo Bay.
During his address, Trump also asked Congress to pass a $1.5 trillion spending bill to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.
“Tonight, I am calling on Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment we need,” he said. “Every federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with state and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment–to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit. Any bill must also streamline the permitting and approval process–getting it down to no more than two years, and perhaps even one.”
The president said he wants to focus on rebuilding a new system of highways, transportation and other public works facilities in the U.S.
Trump, although he did not directly address the DACA situation or Dreamers, said the House and Senate will soon vote on an immigration reform package his administration presented to Congress.
“We presented Congress with a detailed proposal that should be supported by both parties as a fair compromise–one where nobody gets everything they want, but where our country gets the critical reforms it needs,” he said.
The president’s four-pillar plan includes the establishment of a pathway to citizenship for people brought to the U.S. illegally at a young age, the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the ending of the U.S. Visa lottery system and gets rid of “chain migration” by limiting sponsorships to spouses and children.
“These four pillars represent a down-the-middle compromise and one that will create a safe, modern and lawful immigration system,” Trump said. “For over 30 years, Washington has tried and failed to solve this problem. This Congress can be the one that finally makes it happen. Most importantly, these four pillars will produce legislation that fulfills my ironclad pledge to only sign a bill that puts America first. So let’s come together, set politics aside and finally get the job done.”
Toward the end of his address, the president said North Korea could soon be able to strike the nation with a nuclear weapon.
“No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea,” he said. “North Korea’s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland. We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening.”
Trump said he will not “repeat the mistakes” of past administrations.
He went on to highlight two stories of victims of North Korea.
The president spoke about the story of Otto Warmbier, a student from the University of Virginia who died after he was returned home in a coma. Warmbier was detained in North Korea for several months.
Warmbier’s parents were in attendance and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Trump also mentioned the story of Ji Seong-ho, who defected from North Korea to South Korea in 2006.
In spite of the controversial arguments that have divided Democrats and Republicans during the last year, the president called upon Congress to set aside its differences and come together in unity.
“Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew–that no people on Earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans,” Trump said. “If there is a mountain, we climb it. If there’s a frontier, we cross it. If there’s a challenge, we tame it. If there is an opportunity, we seize it. So, let’s begin tonight by recognizing that the state of our union is strong because our people are strong.”
