(VOVworld) – US President Donald Trump delivered his first address to the US Congress on Tuesday, outlining what he will do in the next 4 years. In an uncharacteristically statesmanlike tone, Trump projected optimism about "a new chapter of American greatness."
In his inaugural speech on January 20, President Trump drew a bleak picture of a US in decline. In his speech to Congress, he shifted to a milder tone and conjured a vision of national unity.
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With an avowed goal of writing a “new chapter of American greatness”, Trump affirmed his commitment to civil rights and denounced recent threats against Jewish centers in the US. He said the US is a united country which rejects crime in any form.
He listed the economic accomplishments of his first month in office, including a stock market gain of 3 trillion USD. Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Walmart, Lockheed and other groups have said they will invest billions of USD in the domestic market to generate tens of thousands of jobs for the American people. Trump promised to create a level playing field for American companies and workers, drastically reduce taxes for the middle-class, and invest 1 trillion USD in the deteriorating infrastructure. His administration hopes to achieve an annual growth rate of at least 3%, which economists view as too optimistic.
Trump said education is a non-sectarian issue. He called on members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children.
He repeated the need to strengthen border security to prevent a flood of migrants. The President will vigorously enforce immigration laws, which he says will increase people’s incomes, generate more opportunities for unemployed people, save billions of USD, and protect Americans. He pledged to soon begin the construction of a great wall along the border with Mexico and create a new immigration system that will keep unskilled immigrants from coming to the US. He called on congressmen of both parties to work together on a new immigration plan.
Trump said the new administration will take further steps to strengthen national security. He asked the Department of Defense to create a plan to eliminate the self-proclaimed Islamic State and pledged cooperation with US allies to fight their common enemy.
Sean Spicer, the President’s press secretary, said Mr. Trump’s speech presented a positive vision of what the US can do and how to achieve it. A public opinion poll by CNN showed that President Trump's first address to Congress received largely positive reviews from viewers.