2019 State Of The Union Address Update: What You Should Know

President Donald Trump addressed several issues plaguing the nation and his presidency at his State of the Union (SOTU) address this evening.

During his address, Trump tried to paper over the painful divisions rendering American politics with a call to greatness, but seemingly succeeded in widening these divisions with his renewed demand to build his border wall with Mexico and a further demonization of immigrants.

Trump's SOTU was partisan theater at its best with Republicans constantly applauding and clapping loudly through the one hour and a half-long speech while Democrats remained seated and reserved, except when he spoke about women in Congress.

The SOTU also saw Trump in the unfamiliar role of attempting at being a unifier by praising American heroes, announcing his intent to have a law granting paid maternity leave and his desire to beat HIV AIDS with generous funding.

In the main, however, Trump’s SOTU was a reaffirmation of his implacable political agenda summarized by his “Make America Great Again” mantra. It was also a bow to his base.

He began his address with a call for unity and bipartisanship in Congress and a call to not govern as two parties “but as one nation.” He also labeled his agenda as not Democrat or Republican, but an “agenda of American people.”

This rousing call later morphed into a litany of his accomplishments (especially the strong economy), and into a demand to secure what Trump calls the “very dangerous” southern border against illegal aliens and building his border-wall.

However, Trump’s call for bipartisanship fell with his attack on Democrats that have withheld money for his Mexico wall. Trump first urged the chamber to reject the “politics of revenge resistance and retribution.”

He ticked-off numbers illustrating the strong economy and declared that because of his policies, an “economic miracle is taking place.” Trump then went on to say that the only thing that can stop this economic miracle are foolish wars, politics and “ridiculous partisan investigations.”

The latter is a reference to the investigation being conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign and the role of Trump’s campaign in this mess. The Mueller investigation might provide the legal grounds needed by Democrats to impeach Trump.

He astounded Congress by revealing that large organized caravans are currently marching on the USA from Mexico. He also accused Mexico of encouraging this new invasion by providing these immigrants with trucks and buses to bring them to the USA.

To defeat this invasion, Trump said he’s ordered 3,750 U.S. troops to southern border to prepare for this “tremendous onslaught.”

Trump contends the lawless state of the southern border is threat to the safety, security and financial well-being of Americans. He cited instances of immigrants murdering Americans to prove his point that a physical wall is necessary. He also claims tens of thousands of innocent Americans are killed by drugs such as meth and fentanyl that cross the southern border.

Trump also dashed hopes that a deal with China ending the trade war will be reached by again insisting China institute structural changes to its economy and comply with all his demands.