In his first-ever State of the Union address, Donald Trump is expected to strike a bipartisanship with the Democrats and provide an overview of his achievements during his first year as President.

Trump will talk about America being ‘back’ and the importance of rebuilding the country, as well as ensuring the nation is ‘safe’ in relation to illegal immigrants, DREAMers and the Mexican border wall.

Despite this compromise with the Democratic party, another one of Trump’s aims is for the Republicans to retain their majority in Congress as well as push policies ahead of the midterm election season.

Many celebrities have already taken to the streets in protest of Trump’s SOTU 2018 and a celebration of the ‘resistance’ movement against the US President will take place in New York on January 29.

What is the State of the Union Address?

As stated in the US Constitution, the President of the United States is expected to give a State of the Union Address to Congress and advise on measures they deem ‘necessary and expedient’.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan sent an invitation to Trump on November 30 to deliver the speech.

This marks Donald Trump’s first State of the Union Address and his second speech to a joint session of Congress.

When is the State of the Union Address 2018?

The 2018 State of the Union Address will take place on January 30 and will be given at 9pm EST.

What will Trump discuss at the 2018 State of the Union Address?

White House Legislative Director Marc Short highlighted that Trump will 'talk about how America’s back. The president is also going to make an appeal to Democrats ...to say we need to rebuild our country. And to make an appeal that to do infrastructure, we need to do it in a bipartisan way'.

The theme of the 2018 State of the Union address is ‘building a safe, strong and proud America’ and Trump will reveal how he intends to enforce this in his second year as President.

Trump will also reportedly use this opportunity to discuss the economic progress the US has made under his presidency, a teaser of which he revealed on Twitter when he lashed out at Jay-Z with misleading claims that his policies had lowered African American unemployment.

During the speech, Trump will continue to elaborate on his immigration policies and in line with tradition to invite ‘themed guests’, Democratic members of Congress will welcome two dozen DREAMers to the event.

Trump will also promote his proposal for $25 million for a wall to be built along the Mexican border and for the 2 million young people who entered the US as children to become citizens.

Despite a compromise with the opposition, another one of Trump’s aims is for the Republicans to retain their majority in Congress and address the widely debated tax overhaul.

The US President will also address a literal rebuilding of the nation with a $2 trillion plan to trigger $1 trillion in private and public spending on roads, bridges and other projects.

On North Korea, Trump will provide an update on the current state of events and advise on plans to combat terrorist threats from other countries or groups.

Joe Kennedy will provide a response to Trump’s State of Union Address on behalf of the Democrats, following in the footsteps of his great-uncle Senator Ted Kennedy in 1982.

How to watch the State of the Union Address

The full State of the Union address will run from 9pm to 10:30pm EST.

The State of the Union Address will be available to watch via The White House’s online stream or via Twitter.

The State of the Union Address will also be featured on CBS News, the CBS YouTube channel and the CBS All Access mobile app with coverage starting at 5pm EST.

C-SPAN will also be airing on cable here starting at 8pm EST.

Who will be attending the State of the Union Address this year?

Melania Trump will be attending the State of the Union Address alongside some ‘themed’ invitees.

Evelyn Cuevas, the mother of Kayla Cuevas who was killed on Long Island by MS-13 members in 2016, is expected to attend.

Other invitees include TV scientist Bill Nye, Miss America 2018 Cara Mund, Mexican border wall contractor Tommy Fisher, and Sunayana Dumala, the widow of Indian immigrant Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was killed in the 2017 Olathe, Kansas shooting.

Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Congress members have invited DREAMers to the event and many have also invited members of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

Who is protesting the 2018 State of the Union address?

In line with many actresses at the Golden Globes, Democratic members of Congress will wear black in solidarity and in protest of sexual harassment and assault.

Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) members will also wear red pins in honour of Recy Taylor, a black woman who was gang raped by six white men in 1944.

After Trump’s ‘s***hole countries’ comment, Representatives John Lewis and Maxine Waters said they would not be attending the event, with Frederica Wilson and Pramila Jayapal also boycotting at a later date.

The travel ban and the President’s response to the Unite the Right rally also resulted in Representative Jan Schakowsky announcing her non-attendance. Gregory Meeks and Albio Sires will also not be attending.

Mark Ruffalo and other celebrities who form part of the ‘resistance’ movement are hosting a People’s State of the Union on January 29.

Ruffalo told People: ‘In essence, it’s a better reflection of our state of the union based on a more populist point of view, based on the people’s point of view.’

'I think it’s important because we have a President who has a difficult time with the truth, who has a radical, divisive agenda, and spends an enormous amount of time focusing on the negative and hopelessness and despair.’ </s> WASHINGTON—House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) asked President Trump on Wednesday to delay his State of the Union address to Congress until the government is reopened, citing security concerns.

It is custom for the speaker of the House to formally invite the president to give a State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress at the beginning of the year. That address is scheduled for Jan. 29. </s> President Trump arrives on House floor to deliver State of the Union speech, his first under divided government

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump arrives on House floor to deliver State of the Union speech, his first under divided government. </s> On Tuesday, President Donald Trump will speak to Congress and the American people in his first official State of the Union address. Here is everything you need to know about the annual remarks.

The concept for a State of the Union address is enshrined in Article II, Section 3, Clause I of the Constitution, which states that the president "shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."

According to the National Archives, George Washington first gave his "annual message" to Congress on January 8, 1790, in the Senate Chamber of Federal Hall in New York City -- which was then the temporary seat of government.

The third president, Thomas Jefferson, broke with his predecessors for his State of the Union address, electing to deliver his message in writing. Jefferson set a precedent that lasted for more than 100 years, until President Woodrow Wilson spoke in person to a joint session of Congress in 1913, according to the Archives.

President Calvin Coolidge's first -- and only -- address in 1923 was the first to be broadcast nationally on the radio, according to the Coolidge Foundation.

President Franklin Roosevelt was the first to call his speech the "State of the Union" address, according to the Senate Historical Office, and the term was made official under President Harry Truman.

Truman's was the first to be televised in 1947, but President Lyndon Johnson's 1965 address was the first to be broadcast in prime time, per the House Historical Office. President George W. Bush's address in 2002 was the first to be streamed on the internet.

President Bill Clinton holds the record for the longest State of the Union address. His 2000 address ran one hour, 28 minutes, 49 seconds, according to the American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Washington had the shortest address, with his 1790 speech spanning just 833 words. It is believed to have lasted only 10 minutes.

Presidents William Henry Harrison and James Garfield never delivered a State of the Union address. Both died in office before they were able to.

President Barack Obama is the only African-American, president or not, to have ever addressed a joint session of Congress.

The State of the Union address has been postponed only once, in 1986. President Ronald Reagan's address was originally scheduled on the same day as the Challenger space shuttle explosion. It was delayed until the following week in light of the tragedy.

Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen and House Minority Leader Gerald Ford delivered the first opposition response to a State of the Union address in 1966. According to the Senate Historical Office, the rebuttals continued sporadically throughout the next decade and became an established tradition in 1982.

Rep. Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts will deliver the Democratic response to Trump's address. Kennedy, 37, is seen as a rising star in a party that has many in the senior ranks, well into their 70s.

The Massachusetts congressman comes from one of the most prominent families in American politics as the great-nephew of former President John F. Kennedy. He will follow in the footsteps of his great-uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy, who was part of a group response to President Ronald Reagan's State of the Union in 1982.

At least one member of the President's Cabinet is selected to stay behind from the speech each year in case of emergency. The designated survivor goes to a distant, secure and undisclosed location outside Washington while everyone else gathers to listen to the President's address in the Capitol.

The designated survivor must be eligible to be president, and if a higher-ranking successor survives a potential incident, that person would become president ahead of the designated survivor. The practice started in the 1960s, during the Cold War, when there were fears of a nuclear attack.

Last year's designated survivor was Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin.

Reagan started the tradition of acknowledging guests when he recognized Lenny Skutnik, a federal employee turned hero, in his 1982 speech. The guests sit in the first lady's section of the gallery.

Many times these guests are ordinary citizens who may serve as a human connection to parts of the president's agenda for the year to come. Not all of the guests are necessarily recognized in the speech. Rosa Parks, Sammy Sosa and Hank Aaron are among the more well-known names who have been recognized, according to the American Presidency Project.

Last year, the President and first lady Melania Trump hosted:
• Jessica Davis and Susan Oliver, the widows of slain Detective Michael Davis and Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver, respectively
• Jamiel Shaw Sr., whose son, Jamiel Jr., was shot and killed by an undocumented immigrant
• Carryn Owens, the widow of slain Navy SEAL Ryan Owens, who was killed during an operation in Yemen in January 2017.

The White House has not yet released the list of guests for this year's address. However, several members of Congress said they will bring victims and survivors of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements as their guests this year.

The State of the Union is delivered in the chamber of the House of Representatives with members of both the House and the Senate, as well as the justices of the Supreme Court, members of the president's cabinet and the diplomatic corps in attendance.

The president is escorted into the chamber by members of both the House and the Senate, and their arrival is announced by the sergeant-at-arms of the House of Representatives. The speaker of the House introduces the president.

The top members of each chamber of Congress are seated behind the president during the address: the vice president (who is the president of the Senate) and the speaker of the House. The president pro tempore of the Senate sits in the vice president's seat if the vice president is not in attendance. </s> CLOSE President Trump is set to deliver his first State of the Union Tuesday, but, for many of the President’s political opponents, the real State of the Union will be Monday night. Veuer's Nick Cardona (@nickcardona93) has that story. Buzz60

'Avengers' star Mark Ruffalo will take part at the 'People's State of the Union' Monday in New York. (Photo: John Amis, AP Images for The Captain Planet Foundation)

NEW YORK – Mark Ruffalo, Lee Daniels, Michael Moore and Whoopi Goldberg are among celebrities who plan to attend an evening of speeches and music at “The People’s State of the Union,” billed as a “public alternative” to President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address.

The event is planned for Monday, the day before Trump’s speech, at The Town Hall, a historic venue in Manhattan founded as a meeting spot for suffragists more than 90 years ago.

Among those slated to perform are Andra Day and Common, who will sing their Grammy- and Oscar-nominated song Sand Up for Something from the film Marshall.

Ruffalo, a vocal progressive, said the evening will be an “inspirational event where activists and influencers join together to articulate a positive vision for our future, and how we’re going to win our country back.”

Host organizations include unions, organizers of the Women’s March and Planned Parenthood. The event will be live-streamed at peoplessotu.org.

Online, Alyssa Milano on Tuesday will launch an initiative, #StateOfTheDream, to support immigrants and raise money for United We Dream, an immigrant youth-led organization.

In a statement, Milano called for social media users to create brief videos describing “your dream for America” and post them at the same time, 9 p.m. EST, with the effort’s hashtag. She urged on Twitter: "Please join us! Resist and persist with digital counter-programming to Trump’s #SOTU"

Please join us! Resist and persist with digital counter-programming to Trump’s #SOTU! Check out and share this google doc for instructions and more info. #StateOfTheDream



Pass it on. https://t.co/r0PxCCs52n — Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) January 26, 2018

Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2DQ7wJD </s> Tuesday night President Donald Trump makes the annual presidential trip up Pennsylvania Avenue to address Congress.

Trump's first State of the Union address will be "must see TV" according to White House officials, who have been teasing the speech as an opportunity for the president to tout his administration's accomplishments over the past year. But exactly what is in the speech remains a mystery, even to many in the president's inner circle.

The president told his staff he wants his speech to be "positive and uplifting," and for months Trump has passed along notes and ideas to his team, according to a White House official. Senior Policy Advisor Stephen Miller, White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter, National Security Advisory H.R. McMaster, and Economic Advisor Gary Cohn were part of the team of advisers who helped write the speech.

On Tuesday, preparations were underway for the State of the Union, according to a White House official, who said Trump rehearsed his speech's delivery in the Map Room. In the afternoon, the president had a traditional off-the-record lunch with network news anchors at the White House.

Before departing for Capitol Hill, the first lady will hold a reception at the White House for honorary guests sitting with her at tonight's State of the Union address, according to a spokesperson for her office.

It is not clear whether President Trump will also attend this reception, but an administration official said the the guests will meet with the president in the Oval Office during the afternoon. Among those invited to join the first lady in her box tonight are the parents of two girls killed by MS-13 gang members, a wounded veteran and a family affected by the Opioid crisis. Looking down from the House gallery's balcony will also be Trump's children including Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany although Trump's youngest son Barron is not expected to attend.

With major legislative hurdles on issues like immigration and infrastructure ahead, White House officials say tonight's speech will strike an optimistic and bipartisan tone with a theme of "Building a Safe, Strong and Proud America."

The White House says the speech will largely focus on five main issues: tax cuts and the economy, the outline for a $1 trillion infrastructure plan, trade, national security by "peace through strength" and the framework for immigration reform including DACA legalization.

On Monday, Trump when asked about his State of the Union speech at the swearing in for Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Trump expressed hope his address will pave the way for finding a middle ground on immigration.

"It has to be bipartisan," Trump said. "But hopefully the Democrats will join us or enough of them will join us so we can really do something great for DACA and for immigration in general.”

But as the Russia investigation swirls around the White House, the question remains whether or not the President will address recent controversies surrounding the probe and a new classified memo about the FBI's management of the Russia investigation.

When asked if the House Republican's memo will be included in tonight's speech, Kellyanne Conway said to Fox and Friends "it's not," but then added "transparency and accountability are."

ABC News will begin livestreaming coverage of the State of the Union Address on Tuesday night starting at 8:15 p.m. EST. Then at 9:00 p.m. EST you can watch the full State of the Union Address followed by the Democratic response on abcnews.com, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and the ABC News app. </s> WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump will deliver his maiden State of the Union address on Tuesday with both a resurgent economy and a sagging approval rating as his backdrop.

The President will use his remarks to argue for bipartisan cooperation while trumpeting the roaring stock market and low unemployment, aides have said. He told advisers he wanted to strike a unifying tone after a year of stoking divisions on race, politics and gender.

"Tonight, I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, color and creed," Trump will say during his address, according to excerpts released by the White House.

Trump's first year of GDP growth is very, very average, historically speaking

Whether one hourlong address can achieve that goal remains to be seen. Trump remains deeply divisive, and Washington has fractured during his first year in office as controversies mount. Investigations into Russian election meddling are heating up as Trump prepares for a potential interview with special counsel Robert Mueller.

In his remarks, Trump plans to herald the large package of tax cuts he signed into law last year. He'll proclaim that a regulatory rollback has allowed industries to thrive. And he'll insist that his administration has "sought to restore the bonds of trust between our citizens and their government."

"This is our New American Moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream," Trump will say, according to the excerpts. "Americans love their country. And they deserve a government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return."

A president's State of the Union is typically his highest-profile platform of the year, and viewership is generally higher in the first part of a presidency. But television ratings for the speech have steadily fallen over the decades, and Trump has shown a penchant for bypassing traditional communication channels in favor of Twitter.

If the State of the Union has assumed a reduced importance, however, there were no signs the White House was taking it any less seriously. For months, Trump fed handwritten notes with lines for the speech to his team of speechwriters, a White House official said.

Trump practiced delivering the address from the Map Room on Monday, the official said. Trump's predecessors also rehearsed their addresses from a mock podium and teleprompter set up in the White House basement room.

Among the items Trump plans to raise in his remarks: a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan, paid for by federal, state and private dollars; the sweeping tax cuts he signed into law late last year; and foreign policy matters, including "eye-opening" remarks on North Korea, according to a person familiar with the remarks.

Trump also plans to advocate for a possible immigration agreement that would allow some undocumented immigrations to remain in the country.

"Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American workers and American families," he will say, according to the excerpts.

A team of speechwriters and top policy aides helped Trump craft his address, White House officials said. They included National Economic Council director Gary Cohn, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, senior policy adviser Stephen Miller and staff secretary Rob Porter.

Trump first reviewed a draft of his State of the Union address in December, and has made handwritten edits in recent days with black felt tip pens. In the last several weeks, Trump has workshopped ideas for the speech or edited certain sections while in the residence at night, handing over his changes to staffers the next day.

Trump told a gathering of TV news anchors Tuesday ahead of his address that he would like to see the country "united" and hopes to help rally the country around a sense of national unity.

The President said he would consider unifying the country a great achievement and that he would like to achieve national unity without a "major event," such as a national tragedy or major terrorist attack.

While Trump acknowledged that the country is currently very divided, he also said he believes the country was more divided during the Bill Clinton impeachment, citing a conversation he had with a Democratic lawmaker.

The speech is not likely to touch on the Russia matter, people familiar with it said, opting instead to focus on policy. Trump hopes a serious-minded message can help improve his standing in the polls.

The President's approval rating stood at 40% in CNN's last survey, his highest mark since last September, but still the lowest for any elected president at the one-year mark since modern public opinion polling began.

RELATED: President Trump's approval rating edges up to 40%, according to a CNN Poll

Democrats selected Rep. Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts, a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, to deliver the traditional response to the President's speech. A number of other responses are also planned, including by Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent Vermont senator who ran for President in 2016. A number of Democrats have planned to boycott the speech.

The White House announced on Monday that 15 guests would sit above the House floor in the first lady's box, a tradition that past presidents have used to illustrate their successes. This year's guests include a firefighter who helped battle blazes in California and the parents of children killed by the MS-13 gang.

The first lady herself also plans to attend the speech. Ordinarily, Melania Trump's presence at the State of the Union would not be notable -- but she hasn't appeared in public with her husband since reports emerged last week that Trump allegedly had an affair with a porn star. </s> UPDATE, with New York City event As President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address Tuesday, actress and activist Alyssa Milano will host what she’s calling resist and persist counter-programming.

Milano’s “State of the Dream” digital initiative is soliciting and will present brief (60 seconds max) videos from Americans describing their dreams for the country. The videos will be posted on Twitter and other social media simultaneously at 6pm PST/9pm EST, just as Trump begins his address.

“#StateOfTheDream will highlight what truly makes America great: that we come from many places, races and creeds, and together work for a more perfect union,” Milano writes in an instruction sheet the actress tweeted this morning. “Our digital #StateOfTheDream address will support our dreamers and immigrants, call for a DREAM Act, lean into the Senate, fundraiser for United We Dream, and express our vision for a more inclusive, progressive America.”

Milano, who helped popularize Tarana Burke’s #MeToo movement, writes that everyone is welcome to post a video, but she especially encourages anyone seeking political office to participate. After the initial video blast, contributors can continue “the unifying tweetstorm” by posting with the #StateOfTheDream hashtag.

The actress says a toolkit will be released prior to January 30.

Milano’s project will follow by a day the People’s State of the Union live-stream event at New York City’s Town Hall, a gathering of progressive organizations (MoveOn.org, We Stand United, Stand Up America, People For The American Way, among others) and celebrities including Mark Ruffalo, Whoopi Goldberg, John Leguizamo, Andra Day and Common, Michael Moore, Wanda Sykes, Zoe Kravitz, Cynthia Nixon, Kathy Najimy, Fisher Stevens and Rosie Perez.

Set for Monday at 8 pm ET, the event is self-described as “a hopeful, public alternative to Trump’s State of the Union,” and will outline a plan of action for the coming year focusing on voter rights, voter registration, and voter turnout.

The People’s State of the Union will be live-streamed on its Facebook page.

And here is Milano’s tweet, followed by her instructions for participating in Tuesday’s State of the Dream initiative.

OVERVIEW: On Tuesday night (6pm PST/9pm EST), Donald Trump will deliver his SOTU address. #StateOfTheDream will highlight what truly makes America great: that we come from many places, races and creeds, and together work for a more perfect union. Our digital #StateOfTheDream address will support our dreamers and immigrants, call for a DREAM Act, lean into the Senate, fundraise for United We Dream, and express our vision for a more inclusive, progressive America. We will provide a social media toolkit closer to the 30th, but we also invite you create a brief (60 seconds or less) video describing your dream for America: What you hope for. What inspires YOU. (We especially encourage those running for office and those already serving to do so!). All videos should be posted simultaneously at 6pm PST/9pm EST with the hashtag #StateOfTheDream on all of your social channels. After the video blast, you can proceed to post tweets from the toolkit or your own messaging. We just ask that you continue the unifying tweetstorm with the #StateOfTheDream hashtag. WHO: Members of The Resistance, elected officials, those running for office, any and all Americans who want to use their voices for positive change! Love IS louder.

Donald Trump Preaches U.S. Prosperity In Davos After Blasting Report He Ordered Robert Mueller Fired Last June

Get more from Deadline.com : Follow us on , , </s> Text of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address

Text of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, as delivered and provided by CQ:

Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and my fellow Americans. We meet tonight in a moment of unlimited potential as we begin a new Congress, I stand here ready to work with you to achieve historic break-troughs for all Americans. Millions of our fellow citizens are watching us now gathered in this great chamber, hoping we will govern not as two parties, but as one nation.

The agenda I will lay out this evening is not a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda, it's the agenda of the American people. Many of us have campaigned on the same core promises to defend American jobs and demand fair trade for American workers, to rebuild and revitalize our nation's infrastructure, to reduce the price of health care and prescription drugs, to create an immigration system that is safe, lawful, modern and secure and to pursue a foreign policy that puts America's interests first. There is a new opportunity in American politics if only we have the courage together to seize it.

Victory is not winning for our party. Victory is winning for our country.

This year, America will recognize two important anniversaries that show us the majesty of America's mission and the power of American pride. In June, we mark 75 years since the start of what General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the great crusades, the allied liberation in Europe. On D-day, June 6, 1944, 15,000 young American men jumped from the sky and 60,000 more stormed in from the sea to save our civilization from tyranny. Here with us tonight are three of those incredible heroes, Private First Class Joseph Riley, Staff Sergeant Irving Locker and Sergeant Herman Zeitchiek.

Gentlemen, we salute you. In 2019, we also celebrate 50 years since brave young pilots flew a quarter of a million miles through space to plant the American flag on the face of the moon. Half a century later, we are joined by one of the Apollo 11 astronauts who planted that flag, Buzz Aldrin.

Thank you, Buzz. American astronauts will go back to space on American rockets.

In the 20th century, America save freedom redefined the middle class and when you get down to it, there's nothing anywhere in the world that can compete with America.

Now we must step boldly and bravely into the next chapter of this next great American adventure and we must create a new standard of living for the new 21st century, amazing quality of life for all of our American citizens is within reach. We can make our communities safer, our families stronger, our culture richer, our faith deeper and our middle class bigger and more prosperous than ever before.

But we must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good.

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. The decision is ours to make. We must choose between greatness or gridlock, results or resistance, vision or vengeance, incredible progress or pointless destruction. Tonight I ask you to choose greatness.

Over the last two years, my administration has moved with urgency and historic speed to confront problems neglected by leaders of both parties over many decades. In just over two years, since the election, we have launched an unprecedented economic boom, a boom that has rarely been seen before. There's been nothing like it.

We have created 5.3 million new jobs and, importantly, added 600,000 new manufacturing jobs, something which almost everyone said was impossible to do. But the fact is, we are just getting started.

Wages are rising at the fastest pace if decades and growing for blue collar workers who I promised to fight for, they're growing faster than anyone else thought possible. Nearly five million Americans have been lifted off food stamps.

The U.S. economy is growing almost twice as fast today as when I took office, and we are considered far and away the hottest economy anywhere in the world. Not even close.

Unemployment has reached the lowest rate in over half a century. African-American, Hispanic American and Asian American unemployment have all reached their lowest levels ever recorded. Unemployment for Americans with disabilities has also reached an all-time low. More people are working now than at any time in the history of our country. 157 million people at work.

We passed a massive tax cut for working families and doubled the child tax credit. We virtually ended the estate tax or death tax, as it is often called, on small businesses, for ranches and also for family farms.

We eliminated the very unpopular Obamacare individual mandate penalty. And to give critically ill patients access to life-saving cures, we passed very importantly right to try. My administration has cut more regulations in a short period of time than any other administration during its entire tenure.

Companies are coming back to our country in large numbers thanks to our historic reductions in taxes and regulations. And we have unleashed a revolution in American energy. The United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world. And now for the first time in 65 years, we are a net exporter of energy.

After 24 months of rapid progress, our economy is the envy of the world. Our military is the most powerful on Earth by far — and America is again winning each and every day.

Members of Congress, the state of our union is strong. That sounds so good. Our country is vibrant and our economy is thriving like never before. When Friday it was announced that we added another 304,000 jobs last month alone, almost double the number expected.

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. We must be united at home to defeat our adversaries abroad. This new era of cooperation can start with finally confirming the more than 300 highly qualified nominees who are still stuck in the Senate, in some cases years and years waiting. Not right.

The Senate has failed to act on these nominations, which is unfair to the nominees and very unfair to our country. Now is the time for a bipartisan action. Believe it or not, we have already proven that that's possible. In the last Congress both parties came together to pass unprecedented legislation to confront the opioid crisis, a sweeping new farm bill, historic V.A. reforms, and after four decades of rejection, we passed V.A. Accountability so that we can finally terminate those who mistreat our wonderful veterans.

And just weeks ago both parties united for groundbreaking criminal justice reform. They said it couldn't be done.

Last year, I heard through friends the story of Alice Johnson. I was deeply moved. In 1997, Alice was sentenced to life in prison as a first-time nonviolent drug offender. Over the next 22 years she became a prison minister, inspiring others to choose a better path. She had a big impact on that prison population and far beyond. Alice's story underscores the disparities and unfairness that can exist in criminal sentencing and the need to remedy this total injustice. She served almost that 22 years and had expected to be in prison for the remainder of her life.

In June, I commuted Alice's sentence, when I saw Alice's beautiful family greet her at the prison gates hugging and kissing and crying and laughing, I knew I did something right. Alice is with us tonight and she is a terrific woman.

Terrific. Alice, please. Thank you for reminding us that we always have the power to shape our own destiny. Thank you very much, Alice. Inspired by stories like hers, my administration worked closely with members of both parties to sign the First Step Act into law.

This legislation reformed sentencing laws that have wrongly and disproportionately harmed the African-American community. The First Step Act gives nonviolent offenders re-enter society. Now states across the country are following our lead.

America is a nation that believes in redemption. We are also joined tonight by Matthew Charles from Tennessee. In 1996, at the age of 30, Matthew was sentenced to 35 years for selling drugs and related offenses. Over the next two decades, he completed more than 30 Bible studies, became a law Clerk and mentored many of his fellow inmates. Now Matthew is the very first person to be released from prison under the First Step Act. Matthew, please. Thank you, Matthew.

Welcome home. Now, Republicans and Democrats must join forces again to confront an urgent national crisis. Congress has 10 days left to pass a bill that will fund our government, protect our homeland and secure our very dangerous Southern border. Now is the time for congress to show the world that America is committed to ending illegal immigration and putting the ruthless coyotes, cartels, and human traffickers out of business. As we speak, large organized caravans are on the march to the United States.

We have just heard that Mexican cities in order to remove the illegal immigrants from their communities are getting trucks and buses to bring them up to our country in areas where there is little border protection. I have ordered another 3,750 troops to our Southern border to prepare for this tremendous onslaught.

This is a moral issue of the lawless state of our Southern border is a threat to the safety and security and financial well-being of all America. We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens. This includes our obligation to the millions of immigrants living here today who follow the rules and respected our laws. Legal immigrants enrich our nation in countless ways. I want people to come into our country in the largest numbers ever, but they have to come in legally.

Tonight I'm asking you to defend our very dangerous Southern border out of love and devotion to our fellow citizens and to our country. No issue better illustrates the divide between America's working class and America's political class than illegal immigration.

Wealthy politicians and donors push for open borders while living their lives behind walls, gates and guards. Meanwhile, working-class Americans are left to pay the price for mass illegal immigration, reduce jobs, lower wages, overburden schools, hospitals that are so crowded that you can't get in, increase crime and a depleted social safety net. Tolerance for illegal immigration is not compassionate. It is actually very cruel.

One in three women is sexually assaulted on the long journey north. Smugglers use migrant children as pawns to exploit our laws and gain access to our country. Human traffickers and sex traffickers take advantage of the wide open areas between our ports of entry to smuggle thousands of young girls and women into the United States and to sell them into prostitution and modern-day slavery.

Tens of thousands of innocent Americans are killed by lethal drugs that cross our border and flood into our cities, including meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. The savage gang, MS-13, now operates in at least 20 different American states and they almost all come through our Southern border.

Just yesterday, an MS-13 gang member was taken into custody for a fatal shooting on a subway platform in New York City. We are removing these gang members by the thousands. But until we secure our border, they are going to keep streaming right back in. Year after year, countless Americans are murdered by criminal illegal aliens.

I have gotten to know many wonderful angel moms, dads and families. No one should have to suffer the horrible heartache that they have had to endure. Here tonight is Debra Bissell. Just three weeks ago, her parents, Gerald and Sharon were burglarized and shot to death in their Reno, Nevada home by an illegal alien.

They were in their 80's and survived by four children, 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Also here tonight are Gerald and Sharon's granddaughter Heather and great-granddaughter Madison and please stand. Few can understand your pain. Thank you. And thank you for being here.

Thank you very much. I will never forget and I will fight for the memory of Gerald and Sharon that it should never happen again. Not one more American life should be lost because our nation failed to control its very dangerous border.

In the last two years, our brave ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of criminal aliens, including those charged or convicted of nearly 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes and 4,000 killings or murders. We are joined tonight by one of those law enforcement heroes, ICE Special Agent Elvin Hernandez.

When Elvin was a boy, he and his family came to the United States from the Dominican Republic. At the age of eight, he told his dad he wanted to become a special agent. Today, he leads investigations into the scores of international sex trafficking.

Elvin says that if I couldn't make sure these young girls get their justice, I've really Done My Job. Thanks to his work and that of his incredible colleagues, more than 300 women and girls have been rescued from the horror of this terrible situation. And more than 1,500 sadistic traffickers have been put behind bars.

We will always support the brave men and women of law enforcement. And I pledge to you tonight that I will never abolish our heroes from ICE. Thank you.

My administration has sent to Congress a commonsense proposal to end the crisis on the Southern border. It includes the humanitarian assistance, more law enforcement, drug detection at our ports, closing loopholes that enable child smuggling and plans for a new physical barrier or wall to secure the vast areas between our ports of entry.

In the past, most of the people in this room voted for a wall. But the patrol wall never got built. I will get it built. This is a smart, strategic, see-through steel barrier, not just a simple concrete wall. It will be deployed in the areas identified by the border agents as having the greatest need. And these agents will tell you where walls go up, illegal crossings go way, way down.

San Diego used to have the most illegal border crossings in our country. In response, a strong security wall was put in place. This powerful barrier almost completely ended illegal crossings. The border city of El Paso, Texas, used to have extremely high rates of violent crime, one of the highest in the entire country and considered one of our nation's most dangerous cities. Now, immediately upon its building, with a powerful barrier in place, El Paso is one of the safest cities in our country. Simply put, walls work and walls save lives.

So let's work together, compromise and reach a deal that will truly make America safe. As we work to defend our people's safety, we must also ensure our economic resurgence continues at a rapid pace. No one has benefited more from our thriving economy than women who have filled 58 percent of the newly created jobs last year.

You weren't supposed to do that. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. All Americans can be proud that we have more women in the work force than ever before.

Don't sit yet. You're going to like this. And exactly one century after Congress passed the constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote, we also have more women serving in Congress than at any time before.

That's great. And congratulations. That's great. As part of our commitment to improving opportunity for women everywhere, this Thursday we are launching the first ever government-wide initiative focused on economic empowerment for women in developing countries.

To build on our incredible economic success, one priority is paramount, reversing decades of calamitous trade policies, so bad. We are now making it clear to China that after years of targeting our industries and stealing our intellectual property, the theft of American jobs and wealth has come to an end.

Therefore we recently imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods and now our treasury is receiving billions and billions of dollars. But I don't blame China for taking advantage of us. I blame our leaders and representatives for allowing this travesty to happen.

I have great respect for President Xi and we are now working on a new trade deal with China. But it must include real structural change to end unfair trade practices, reduce our chronic trade deficit, and protect American jobs.

Another historic trade blunder was the catastrophe known as NAFTA. I have met the men and women of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Hampshire and many other states whose dreams were shattered by the signing of NAFTA. For years politicians promised them they would renegotiate for a better deal. But no one ever tried until now.

Our new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the USMCA, will replace NAFTA and deliver for American workers like they haven't had delivered to for a long time. I hope you can pass the USMCA into law so that we can bring back our manufacturing jobs in even greater numbers, expand American agriculture, protect intellectual property, and ensure that more cars are proudly stamped with our four beautiful words, made in the U.S.A.

Tonight I am also asking you to pass the United States Reciprocal Trade Act so that if another country places an unfair tariff on an American product, we can charge them the exact same tariff on the exact same product that they sell to us. Both parties should be able to unite for a great rebuilding of America's crumbling infrastructure.

I know that Congress is eager to pass an infrastructure bill. And I am eager to work with you on legislation to deliver new and important infrastructure investment, including investments in the cutting edge industries of the future. This is not an option, this is a necessity.

The next major priority for me and for all of us should be to lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs and to protect patients with pre-existing conditions. Already as a result of my administration's efforts, in 2018 drug prices experienced their single largest decline in 46 years. But we must do more. It's unacceptable that Americans pay vastly more than people in other countries for the exact same drugs, often made in the exact same place. This is wrong, this is unfair, and together we will stop it, and we'll stop it fast.

I am asking Congress to pass legislation that finally takes on the problem of global freeloading and delivers fairness and price transparency for American patients finally.

We should also require drug companies, insurance companies and hospitals to disclose real prices to foster competition and bring costs way down. No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than American freedom. In recent years we have made remarkable progress in the fight against H.I.V. and AIDS. Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once distant dream within reach.

My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the H.I.V. epidemic in the United States within 10 years. We have made incredible strides, incredible. Together we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond. Tonight I am also asking you to join me in another fight that all Americans can get behind, the fight against childhood cancer.

Joining Melania in the gallery this evening is a very brave 10-year-old girl, Grace Eline. Every birthday — Hi, Grace. Every birthday since she was 4, Grace asked her friends to donate to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. She did not know that one day she might be a patient herself. That's what happened. Last year, Grace was diagnosed with brain cancer. Immediately she began radiation treatment. At the same time she rallied her community and raised more than $40,000 for the fight against cancer. When Grace completed treatment last fall, her doctors and nurses cheered, I love her and still love her, with tears in her eyes and hung up a poster that read, "Last day of chemo."

Thank you very much, Grace. You are a great inspiration to everyone in this room. Thank you very much. Many childhood cancers have not seen new therapies. We will ask for $500 million to fund this critical life-saving research to help support working parents. The time has come to pass school choice for America's children.

I'm also proud to be the first president to include in my budget for a nationwide paid family leave so every new parent has the chance to bond with their newborn child.

There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother holding her infant child than the chilling displays our nation saw in recent days. Lawmakers in New York cheered with the life upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb moments from birth. These are living, feeling, beautiful babies, who will never share their love and dreams with the world and then we had the case of the governor of Virginia where he stated he would execute a baby after birth, to defend the dignity of every person. I am asking Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in a mother's womb.

Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life. And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth, all children, born and unborn, are made in the holy image of God. The final part of my agenda is to protect American security.

Over the last two years, we have begun to fully rebuild the United States military with $700 billion last year and $716 billion this year. We are also getting other nations to pay their fair share. Finally.

For years, the United States was being treated very unfairly by friends of ours, members of NATO. But now we have secured over the last couple of years more than $100 billion of increase in defense spending from our NATO allies. They said it couldn't be done.

As part of our military buildup, the United States is developing a state of the art defense missile system and under my administration, we will never apologize for advancing America's interests. For example, decades ago, the United States entered into a treaty with Russia in which we agreed to limit and reduce our missile capability.

While we followed the agreement and the rules to the letter, Russia repeatedly violated its terms. Been going on for many years. That is why I announced that the United States is officially withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty or INF Treaty. We really have no choice. Perhaps we can negotiate a different agreement adding China and others or perhaps we can't, in which case we will outspend and out innovate all others by far.

As part of a bold new diplomacy, we continue our historic push for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Our hostages have come home. Nuclear testing has stopped and there has not been a missile launch in more than 15 months. If I had not been elected president of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea. Much work remains to be done, but my relationship with Kim Jong-un a good one. We will meet again on February 27 and 28 in Vietnam.

Two weeks ago, the United States officially recognized the legitimate government of Venezuela and its new President, Juan Guaido. We stand with the Venezuelan people and their noble quest for freedom and we condemn the brutality of their regime whose socialist policies have turned that nation from being the wealthiest in South America into a state of abject poverty and despair.

Here in the United States, we are alarmed by the new calls to adopt socialism in our country. America was founded on liberty and independence and not government coercion, domination and control. We are born free and we will stay free.

Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country. One of the most complex set of challenges we face and have for many years is in the Middle East. Our approach is based on principle, realism, not discredited theories that have failed for decades to yield progress. For this reason, my administration recognized the true capital of Israel and proudly opened the American embassy in Jerusalem.

Our brave troops have now been fighting in the Middle East for almost 19 years in Afghanistan and Iraq. Nearly 7,000 American heroes have given their lives. More than 52,000 Americans have been badly wounded. We have spent more than $7 trillion in fighting wars in the Middle East. As a candidate for president, I loudly pledged a new approach.

Great nations do not fight endless wars. When I took office, ISIS controlled more than 20,000 square miles in Iraq and Syria just two years ago. Today, we have liberated virtually all of the territory from the grip of these blood-thirsty monsters. Now, as we work with our allies to destroy the remnants of ISIS, it is time to give our brave warriors in Syria a warm welcome home.

I have also accelerated our negotiations to reach, if possible, a political settlement in Afghanistan. The opposing side is also very happy to be negotiating. Our troops have fought with unmatched valor. And thanks to their bravery, we are now able to pursue a possible political solution to this long and bloody conflict.

In Afghanistan, my administration is holding constructive talks with a number of Afghan groups, including the Taliban. As we make progress in these negotiations, we will be able to reduce our troop's presence and focus on counter-terrorism. And we will, indeed, focus on counter-terrorism. We don't know whether we will achieve an agreement, but we do know after two decades of war, the hour has come to at least try for peace and the other side would like to do the same thing. It's time.

Above all, friend and foe alike must never doubt this nation's power and will to defend our people. Eighteen years ago, violent terrorists attacked the USS Cole and last month American forces killed one of the leaders of that attack. We are honored to be joined tonight by Tom Wibberley whose son, Navy Seaman Craig Wibberley, was one of the 17 sailors we tragically lost. Tom, we vow to always remember the heroes of the USS Cole. Thank you, Tom.

My administration has acted decisively to confront the world's leading state sponsor of terror, the radical regime in Iran. It is a radical regime. They do bad, bad things. To ensure this corrupt dictatorship never acquires nuclear weapons, I withdrew the United States from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal.

And last fall we put in place the toughest sanctions ever imposed by us on a country. We will not avert our eyes from a regime that chants death to America and threatens genocide against the Jewish people. We must never ignore the vial poison of antisemitism or those who spread its venomous creed.

With one voice we must confront this hatred anywhere and everywhere it occurs. Just months ago, 11 Jewish Americans were viciously murdered in an anti-Semitic attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Swat Officer Timothy Matson raced into the gun fire and was shot seven times chasing down the killer. And he was very successful.

Timothy has just had his 12th surgery and he's going in for many more. But he made the trip to be here with us tonight. Officer Matson, please. Thank you. We are forever grateful. Thank you very much.

Tonight we are also joined by Pittsburgh survivor, Judah Samet. He arrived at the synagogue as the massacre began. Not only did he escape death last fall, more than seven decades ago he narrowly survived the Nazi concentration camps. Today is Judah's 81st birthday. (Audience sings "Happy Birthday.") They wouldn't do that for me, Judah.

Judah says he can still remember the exact moment nearly 75 years ago after 10 months in a concentration camp when he and his family were put on a train and told they were going to another camp. Suddenly the train screeched to a very strong halt. A soldier appeared. Judah's family braced for the absolute worst. Then his father cried out with joy, "It's the Americans, It's the Americans."

Thank you. A second Holocaust survivor who is here tonight was a prisoner at Dachau. He remembers watching through a hole in the wall of a cattle car as American soldiers rolled in with tanks. For me, Joshua recalls, the American soldiers were proof that God exists and they came down from the sky, they came down from heaven.

I began this evening by honoring three soldiers who fought on D-day in the Second World War. One of them was Herman. But there is more to Herman's story. A year after he stormed the beaches of Normandy, Herman was one of the American soldiers who helped liberate Dachau. He was one of the Americans who helped rescue Joshua from that hell on Earth. Almost 75 years later, Herman and Joshua are both together in the gallery tonight, seated side by side here in the home of American freedom. Herman and Joshua, your presence this evening is very much appreciated. Thank you very much. Thank you.

When American soldiers set out beneath the dark skies over the English Channel in the early hours of D-day, 1944, they were just young men of 18 and 19, hurdling on fragile landing craft toward the most momentous battle in the history of war.

They did not know if they would survive the hour. They did not know if they would grow old. But they knew that America had to prevail. Their cause was this nation and generations yet unborn. Why did they do it? They did it for America, they did it for us. Everything that has come since, our triumph over communism, our giant leaps of science and discovery, our unrivaled progress towards equality and justice, all of it is possible thanks to the blood and tears and courage and vision of the Americans who came before.

Think of this Capitol. Think of this very chamber where lawmakers before you voted to end slavery, to build the railroads and the highways and defeat fascism, to secure civil rights, and to face down evil empires.

Here tonight we have legislators from across this magnificent republic. You have come from the rocky shores of Maine and the volcanic peaks of Hawaii, from the snowy woods of Wisconsin and the red deserts of Arizona, from the green farms of Kentucky and the golden beaches of California.

Together we represent the most extraordinary nation in all of history. What will we do with this moment? How will we be remembered? I ask the men and women of this Congress, look at the opportunities before us. Our most thrilling achievements are still ahead. Our most exciting journeys still await.

Our biggest victories are still to come. We have not yet begun to dream. We must choose whether we are defined by our differences or whether we dare to transcend them. We must choose whether we squander our great inheritance or whether we proudly declare that we are Americans. We do the incredible. We defy the impossible. We conquer the unknown.

This is the time to reignite the American imagination. This is the time to search for the tallest summit and set our sights on the brightest star. This is the time to rekindle the bonds of love and loyalty and memory that link us together as citizens, as neighbors, as patriots. this is our future, our fate, and our choice to make. I am asking you to choose greatness. No matter the trials we face, no matter the challenges to come, we must go forward together. We must keep America first in our hearts. We must keep freedom alive in our souls. And we must always keep faith in America's destiny. That one nation under God must be the hope and the promise and the light and the glory among all the nations of the world.

Thank you, God bless you. And God bless America. Thank you very much.
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union Address to the 115th United States Congress in the chamber of the House of Representatives.