Has Donald Trump Changed? ‘New’ President’s Speech Sparks Debate On His Administration Going Forward

For 20 months Donald Trump largely gave the same stump speech both throughout his campaign, after he won the election and even the day of his inauguration, utilizing the slogan “Make American Great Again” while also revving up crowds and acting in a way many labeled as “un-presidential.”

But Tuesday night, before a Congress and Washington establishment that he’s heavily criticized and battled with, it appeared as if Trump may have turned a corner with how he connects and communicates with the American public and a legislative branch he needs to enact his agenda. In terms of appearance, as well as speaking style and perhaps even a calmer attitude, Trump did appear to have changed his tone. He ditched the shiny red tie and loose suit with a blue-and-white striped tie and more form-fitting cut. And he used the speech to outline his legislative agenda and priorities like the immigration ban, the revitalization of the economy, more support to the military and law enforcement around the country and even reached out to Americans in a way he hadn’t before. He also praised the wife of the Navy Seal who died during the heavily panned operation in Yemen and did the same to a young woman stricken with Pompe disease, though the latter has been questioned by disability advocates after Trump mocked a disabled reporter twice during his campaign, according to Vox.

"From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears, inspired by the future, not bound by failures of the past, and guided by a vision, not blinded by our doubts," Trump said.

The idea that Trump could use his first address to Congress to pivot and appear more presidential in front of a national audience was discussed by PBS’s “News Hour” Tuesday night just before the speech.

“Well, he hasn’t had an opportunity like this before, because what a State of the Union is, is this odd contraption that no other country has, because our presidents are chiefs of state and they’re also prime ministers. And those two roles are oftentimes very contradictory,” said presidential historian Michael Beschloss. “So the State of the Union since Theodore Roosevelt has offered the president the chance to say, these are things I want out of Congress, here is my laundry list.

Beschloss added: “But, at the same time, it gives a new president an opportunity to be seen as a president of the United States in Congress. He gets very few opportunities like this. … If he uses this opportunity not only to say, this is what I want legislatively, but also those of you who are skeptics about me, even in my own party, those of you who voted against me, I can function as a president of all the people. This is one setting in which he has that opportunity. We will see if he takes it.”

Trump himself said in January 2016 that he would be different when he took the Oval Office when compared to his histrionics during the campaign. Though he told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that he would still be a “cheerleader” and that “political correctness” took too long.

Still, many Americans remain skeptical if Trump has, in fact, changed and even his staff had reportedly claimed there were no new radical policy changes in the mix.