Analysis: A softer Donald Trump wins praise. But will it last?
Donald Trump finally gave Republicans what they’ve spent months begging him to deliver: a pivot to presidential behavior. The question now is how long it lasts. Days, weeks, months — or simply until the next tweet? Just a little more than a month into his presidency, the new president clearly wanted to use his first speech to Congress to reset the chaotic start of his administration. Gone was the dark tone that marked his inaugural address, replaced by optimism and pleas for bipartisan support. Standing before lawmakers, Supreme Court justices and military leaders, the famously unrestrained Trump was softer, sober and practically subdued. “I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart,” he said, in the opening of his hour-long speech. His administration reveled in the rave reviews on Wednesday morning. “What the American people saw is the president I serve with every day — broad shoulders, a big heart,” Vice President Mike Pence said, in an interview with NBC’s “Today Show.” The White House delayed the signing of his revamped travel ban, saying they were still putting the final touches on the new executive order but also, presumably, to avoid competing with positive press from the speech. Republican leaders were scheduled to join the president for lunch at the White House to discuss how they move forward with key agenda items. But though the prime-time address to Congress and the nation wrapped Trump’s signature nationalistic politics in presidential prose, it is unlikely to overcome the deep divisions created by his first few weeks in office. For a candidate who sold himself as a master dealmaker, Trump has shown little inclination to get deeply involved with the kind of nitty gritty negotiating that defines the legislative process. That’s left the Capitol reeling. Republicans have united control for the first time in decades but no agreement over the specifics of long-promised plans to repeal “Obamacare” and revamp the tax code. The federal civil service is in not-so-subtle revolt. And weeks of protests and raucous town halls are putting fresh political pressure on lawmakers from both parties to resist his agenda. Trump, meanwhile, faces record low approval ratings — just 44 percent of Americans approve of his job performance, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey. He needed to use his prime-time address to show he could steady his flailing White House and focus on the difficult work required to pass his legislative agenda. Trump is nearing the end of big achievements he can enact by executive order, forcing him to rely on Congress to turn the bold promises of his campaign into actual achievements. So, he embraced his inner statesman. The candidate who won the White House by taking a hard-line stance on immigration seemed to express openness to a bipartisan immigration bill. The president whose administration spent much of its first weeks in office battling with the media, intelligence community, federal judiciary and even Hollywood celebrities asked for an end to “trivial fights.” In his speech, he called on Washington to “work past the differences of party.” Less than 24 hours earlier, he’d blamed former President Barack Obama for town hall protests and security leaks and called House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi “incompetent” in a Fox News interview. He said his generals, not the commander in chief, were responsible for a military raid in Yemen that killed a Navy SEAL. Hours later, Trump’s tribute to the slain solider, as his crying widow stood in the audience, became a signature moment of his address. And after questioning the authenticity of a wave of bomb threats against Jewish community centers in a private Tuesday meeting with attorney generals, he opened his remarks by condemning the flood of anti-Semitic attacks and other racially motivated crimes. For House GOP leaders, Trump came tantalizingly close to backing their plan to overhaul the tax code by imposing a new tax on imports while exempting exports. He appeared to lend support to the House Republican leaders’ plan for Obamacare, embracing the “tax credits” and health savings accounts that are a centerpiece of the GOP policy. But on other issues, Trump offered barely a blueprint for his initiatives. He repeated his campaign pledge to make a $1 trillion investment in infrastructure, adding no new details to a proposal that’s sure to face fierce resistance from budget hawks. Big promises to make childcare more affordable, ensure paid family leave, invest in women’s health and a major education bill were mentioned merely in passing. There was no discussion of how his administration would fund any of the new — and expensive — programs, putting him in direct conflict with a Republican Party that has long focused on cutting the deficit. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama’s congressional delegation reacts to Donald Trump speech
Donald Trump delivered his first-ever address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night joint where he outlined his priorities for his first year in office. During his prime-time speech, the president touched on a variety of topics, including his hopes to repeal Obamacare, immigration policy, continuing his pledge to fortify the U.S./Mexico border with a wall, strengthening the military and jobs. His speech drew overwhelming praise from the Alabama delegation, with the exception of long Democrat 7th District Rep. Terri Sewell who was “deeply disappointed” in the contents of the speech. Here’s what the delegation had to say: U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby: In tonight’s address, President Trump laid out his vision for the nation and reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the American people have the opportunity to succeed. His remarks were a refreshing change from the last eight years, and I look forward to working with him on the many priorities discussed. In particular, I stand ready to work with the President on overhauling our broken tax code, rolling back burdensome rules and regulations, and getting Washington out of the way so that Americans can get back to work. It’s time for us to deliver on our promises for the American people. U.S. Sen. Luther Strange: It was truly an honor to be part of this historical moment. Like the millions of Americans who voted for real change in Washington, I found it refreshing to hear from a President who is keeping the promises he made to Americans when he ran for office. Just as he said, he is already taking steps to secure our border, repeal Obamacare and rebuild our military. I am even more encouraged after hearing the President share plans to reform our complicated tax code to allow Alabama families to keep more of their hard-earned money, and roll back bureaucratic red tape that is an unnecessary burden to Alabama small businesses. His cabinet nominees show his commitment to protecting our constitutional rights, caring for our Veterans and ensuring a quality education for every child, regardless of their zip code. This is an exciting time in America and I know that Alabamians are optimistic and ready to dream big for the first time, in a long time. It is truly an honor to serve in the Senate and help our President ensure all Americans have the opportunity to make our future a brighter one. Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne: President Trump came before Congress tonight with a clear plan for action on behalf of the American people. From health care to immigration to national defense to infrastructure, the President laid out a clear agenda that will spur economic growth, keep the American people safe, get the government off our backs, and expand opportunity. I stand committed and ready to get to work on enacting these policies. The American people spoke clearly last November when they elected a unified Republican government, and now it is time for action. Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby: Tonight President Trump laid out several ways his administration and Congress can work together to rebuild our nation. I am particularly encouraged by his calls to properly fund our military, improve veterans’ health care, and secure our border. These are issues important to the Alabamians I represent, and I look forward to working with the Trump Administration to deliver results. Alabama 3rd District U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers: I was thrilled to hear President Trump lay out his optimistic vision for America’s future. We now have a president that is determined to work on the behalf of the American people first. President Trump’s dedication to enforcing our country’s immigration laws is critical to our safety and economy. For far too long, the executive branch has turned a blind eye to folks who are here in the country illegally and therefore, breaking the law. With Attorney General Sessions, the laws on the books will be enforced and the safety of our communities will be the highest priority. I am extremely grateful for President Trump’s pledge to increase investment in our national defense. To fully rebuild our military from the neglect of the Obama administration will require an extraordinary commitment… Read the rest of Rogers’ statement here. Alabama 4th District U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt: As I expected and hoped for, President Trump gave a message to Congress that he is committed to making sure Washington is no longer ‘business as usual.’ After eight years of a White House that took a passive, apologetic approach to America and the world, we finally have a President who has announced America is back and literally wants it to be great again. President Trump’s plan to strengthen our military is greatly needed. If we are to win the war against ISIS, contain China, and keep a watchful eye on Russia, the size and capability of our armed forces needs to increase. I am also glad to hear that the President will put forth a plan to rein in the Federal bureaucracy. For example, the EPA has run amok with a busy-body attitude with farmers that literally tried to regulate mud puddles on their farms, not to mention the ‘War on Coal.’ However, President Trump has now passed the baton to Congress. It is now up to us. We must get to work to accomplish the mandate voters sent in November or Congress will face the people’s wrath next year. Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks: I enjoyed the optimistic tone of President Trump’s speech this evening and his message of unity and strength across America. I was pleased the President tonight addressed restarting the engine of the American economy and removing burdensome regulations that have made it so difficult to start and grow a business in America. President Trump has already taken strong steps to secure the border and enforce our nation’s immigration laws, and I applaud his continued commitment to the rule of law and national security. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to support President Trump’s bold
What to watch for when Donald Trump makes 1st address to Congress
A presidential address to Congress is always part policy speech, part political theater. With President Donald Trump, a former reality TV star, there’s extra potential for drama as he makes his first address to Congress. After a chaotic start to his presidency, Trump will be trying to project his administration as ready to stride forward on top priorities such as changes to President Barack Obama‘s health care law and a tax overhaul. Congressional Democrats, in turn, will be trying to calibrate how strongly to oppose the Republican president in the staid setting of the House chamber, where manners still matter. Some things to watch for Tuesday night: PRE-GAME Which members of Congress will arrive hours early to stake out seats on the center aisle of the House chamber for Trump’s big entrance? Expect core Trump supporters to try to line the aisle. But will some of the Democrats’ traditional aisle-huggers continue to angle for prime seats, then make a point of passing up a handshake with the president? Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat who has often positioned herself on the aisle for presidential addresses, does not plan on shaking Trump’s hand, according to her office. THE ROBED ONES Check out which Supreme Court justices show up this year. Samuel Alito, part of the court’s conservative contingent, hasn’t gone since he was caught on camera during the 2010 State of the Union address shaking his head and mouthing “not true” when Obama criticized a Supreme Court decision. Clarence Thomas, who has also stayed away in recent years, said in 2010 that the addresses had become so partisan that “it’s very uncomfortable for a judge to sit there.” Could this be a year for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who leads the court’s liberal wing, to opt out? She criticized Trump in interviews before his election but later said she regretted making “ill-advised” comments in which she dismissed Trump as a “faker” who “really has an ego.” She went to every one of Obama’s speeches (but dozed off in 2015 when, she said, she “wasn’t 100 percent sober.”) FOCUS FACTOR White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer is promising Trump’s speech will be “an optimistic vision for the country, crossing traditional lines of party, race, socio-economic status.” Trump has demonstrated that he can stick to a script for high-profile speeches. But there’s always interplay between presidents and legislators in such addresses, and even a few presidential ad libs could change the dynamics of the night. If Trump veers into talk about “fake news,” and “criminal leaks” from intelligence officials and complaints about the courts blocking his executive order on immigration, that would distract from his effort to show more discipline and focus. WHITHER KUMBAYA? Spicer says he expects Trump to get “a very robust and applause-filled reception” from legislators. But dozens of Democratic legislators boycotted Trump’s inauguration. And now, they have to decide how to receive the president in their own chambers. Will they applaud the GOP president? Will the decorum of the moment be pierced with boos and heckles? Some of that may be choreographed in advance, but there’s always the chance of spontaneous outbursts. In 2009, Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina blurted out “You lie!” during an Obama speech to Congress on health care. Expect to see lots of white in the crowd: Democratic women in the House planned to wear white to honor women’s suffrage and “stand in solidarity with the women of our nation.” DETAILS, PLEASE Republicans in Congress are getting impatient for more detail on Trump’s plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and to undertake sweeping tax changes. Trump on Monday called the health care law a “complicated issue” and promised to give states “the flexibility they need to make the end result really, really good for them.” The speech is a prime opportunity for Trump to go beyond such generalities, but aides say not to expect a “legislative walkthrough.” LOOKING UP The action won’t all be on the floor of the House. The galleries in the House balcony will offer another tier of commentary. Democratic members of Congress have invited immigrants, foreigners and people who have benefited from the Obama health-care law to be seated in the galleries as their guests. And first lady Melania Trump has invited special guests to sit in her box who are likely to telegraph different messages. TWITTERAMA No need to wait for the speech to end to get political commentary. Based on past presidential addresses to Congress, expect legislators to be live tweeting their reactions to what they view as the best and worst of it. And there’s always the potential for Trump himself to amplify — or scramble — his own message with presidential tweets before and after the fact. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R.-Kentucky, said he’s hoping for a “tweet-free” message from Trump. COUNTER PROGRAMMING Expect both official and informal counterprogramming. Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, who helped expand health care coverage in his state under Obama’s health care law, will deliver the Democrats’ response to Trump’s address. And immigration activist Astrid Silva, who came to the U.S. illegally when she was 5, will offer the party’s Spanish-language response. Before Trump’s speech, opponents of the president planned a “resistance address” and rally at Lafayette Park across from the White House, with Rosie O’Donnell as a headliner. She and Trump have been feuding for years. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Divided Republicans await clarity from Donald Trump on key issues
Flailing and divided, congressional Republicans are hoping for clarity from President Donald Trump on key issues like health care when he delivers his first speech to a joint meeting of Congress. It comes as Republicans are discovering, a month into Trump’s administration, how difficult it will be to make good on their many promises now that they control Washington in full. The GOP’s long-stated plans to repeal former President Barack Obama‘s health care law and replace it with something better are running into major difficulties even before legislation is officially released. After a week of raucous town hall meetings, Republicans are back in Washington and key conservatives have begun to denounce House leadership plans based on a leaked draft and reports that the bill would cost more than expected while covering fewer people than the Affordable Care Act. “That dog doesn’t hunt,” GOP Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, head of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, declared flatly of a central element of the plan, tax credits extended regardless of income. Asked whether Republicans were nearing consensus on the overall legislation, Meadows said: “I think we’re a long way from that.” Another influential conservative, GOP Rep. Mark Walker of North Carolina, who chairs the Republican Study Committee, released a statement warning that “There are serious problems with what appears to be our current path to repeal and replace Obamacare.” And three key conservative senators, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas, added their voices in opposition, too, announcing that they will oppose “Obamacare Lite” and “accept nothing less than full repeal of Obamacare.” House Speaker Paul Ryan downplayed the divisions, insisting in an interview Tuesday that Congress is on track with a plan that will lower costs and improve quality. Ryan says the nation doesn’t need Trump to come up with all the specifics. “I see him as more of a chairman, as a president, much like many successful presidents have been, where he gets people around him who are detailed people who can execute those plans,” Ryan told NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday. But several other House Republicans said they would like to hear Trump sketch a clear vision, or better yet an endorsement of their plan, when he addresses Congress Tuesday night. Ahead of the speech, Republicans had little clarity about what Trump was going to say on the topic. Trump himself remarked Monday that “Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated.” “What the president can say is that the plan that gets presented to the conference is the one you need to vote ‘yes’ on,” said GOP Rep. Bill Flores of Texas. “That’s how he can be helpful.” Unlike the inauguration, Democrats plan to attend the speech, with women in the House wearing white to honor the suffrage movement and also to “stand in solidarity with the women of our nation.” Health care is far from the only issue dividing Republicans. Plans to overhaul the tax code have Republicans tied in knots, while Trump’s promised increases in infrastructure spending promise to provoke major clashes with deficit hawks. A government funding deadline looms two months away and must be met to keep the government from shutting down. And, senior lawmakers were busy throwing cold water on Trump’s budget proposal, which was made public in broad outlines on Monday. The budget envisions a huge $54 billion surge in U.S. military spending while slashing domestic programs and foreign aid. GOP Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, said that the budget as presented could not possibly pass the House. “No, no. There’s a lot of members that have a lot of interest in a lot of these programs,” Simpson said. “There’s more to our government than just defense.” Yet for defense hawks, Trump’s Pentagon spending didn’t go far enough. Sen. John McCain of Arizona complained that Trump’s plans represented just a small increase over Obama’s recent Pentagon wish list. And, Trump’s budget would leave large deficits intact while sparing Social Security and Medicare, the entitlements that make up an enormous and growing share of the federal budget. That puts Trump in direct conflict with Ryan and other leading Republicans who’ve long advocated reforming entitlement programs to put them on a more sustainable footing and get deficits under control. It’s unclear how that conflict will get resolved, but several Republicans said Trump would have to address Medicare and even Social Security despite campaign promises to spare them. “If you want to balance the budget, if you want to increase defense spending, at some point in time you’ve got to touch entitlements,” Simpson said. “All you’ve got to do is look at the numbers. This is not rocket science.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Donald Trump looks to refocus his presidency in address to Congress
With his first address to Congress, President Donald Trump has an opportunity to refocus his young administration on the economic issues that helped him get elected. His allies hope it will help him move beyond the distractions and self-inflicted wounds that he has dealt with so far. Trump’s advisers say he will use his prime-time speech Tuesday to declare early progress on his campaign promises, including withdrawing the U.S. from a sweeping Pacific Rim trade pact, and to map a path ahead on thorny legislative priorities, including health care, infrastructure, and military spending. “We’re going to spend a lot more money on military,” Trump told “Fox & Friends” in an interview aired Tuesday, saying he could stand to see even $30 billion more than what’s being recommended. “We’re going to get involved in negotiating. We’re going to be able to get, I think, a lot more product for a buck and I’m going to be very, very serious about it,” he said. The White House said Trump has been gathering ideas for the address from the series of listening sessions he’s been holding with law enforcement officials, union representatives, coal miners and others. Aides said he was still tinkering with the speech Monday night. Republicans, impatient to begin making headway on an ambitious legislative agenda, hope Trump arrives on Capitol Hill armed with specifics on replacing the “Obamacare” health care law and overhauling the nation’s tax system, two issues he’s so far talked about in mostly general terms. More broadly, some Republicans are anxious for the president to set aside his feuds with the media, the intelligence community and the courts, which have overshadowed the party’s policy priorities. “Results aren’t going to come from that,” said Judd Gregg, the former Republican senator from New Hampshire. “Results are going to come from driving the policies he said he would do.” The pressure from Republican lawmakers makes this a critical moment for a new president who ran for office on a pledge to swiftly shake up Washington and follow through on the failed promises of career politicians. While most new presidents enjoy a honeymoon period, Trump is saddled with record low approval ratings — just 44 percent of Americans approve of his job performance, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey. His most sweeping executive order was blocked by federal courts, sending advisers scrambling to write a new travel and immigration directive, which the president is expected to sign on Wednesday. Morale is also plummeting among some White House staffers following a string of leaks that have left aides questioning each other. On Sunday, Politico reported that White House press secretary Sean Spicer had sprung surprise “phone checks” for members of his communications team after details from a staff meeting were made public. Trump said in the interview Tuesday that he “would have handled it differently than Sean. But Sean handles it his way, and I’m OK with it.” In public, Trump has continued to speak about his presidency with his usual confident bluster, declaring that there’s “never been a presidency that’s done so much in such a short period of time.” But he’s privately vented frustrations to friends and associates, particularly about what he sees as the ineffectiveness of the White House’s communications efforts and the scattershot nature of his first weeks in office. In the Fox interview Tuesday, Trump gave himself an overall “A plus” for effort, but conceded, “In terms of messaging, I would give myself a C or a C plus.” Trump recently complained to one associate that the White House was trying to do too many things at once and none of it was breaking through. He told another associate that the White House had lost control of the story surrounding Michael Flynn, who was fired as national security adviser after misleading Vice President Mike Pence and others about his contacts with Russia. The White House looked to be finding its footing for a stretch last week, beginning with Trump’s widely praised rollout of Flynn’s replacement, Lt. General H.R McMaster. On domestic issues, the White House largely stuck to its script, focusing on manufacturing and the budget. Fewer aides appeared on television, part of an effort to apply some message discipline to a White House that has frequently contradicted itself. One of the most notable changes was made by the president himself, who scaled back his use of Twitter for a few days, particularly in the pre-dawn hours. One aide said the reduction in Trump’s early morning tweets was a result of his ending his habit of watching “Morning Joe,” the MSNBC show hosted by Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, longtime friends of the president who have been critical of some of his early moves. Brzezinski said Trump made similar claims of avoiding the TV during the campaign. “Then I would see him and Joe talking and he would say ‘Joe, you know I really watch every day,’” she said. The aide who told the story about Trump and early-morning TV insisted on anonymity in order to discuss internal White House dealings. So did other advisers and associates cited in this story. By the end of last week, the White House was back in the throes of some of the same sideshows that had overshadowed the policy issues Trump advisers have insisted they want to focus on. The president doubled down on his media bashing during a free-wheeling speech to conservative activists. Questions about his advisers’ contacts with Russian intelligence agents were revived by revelations that chief of staff Reince Priebus discussed the matter with high-level FBI officials, in the midst of an investigation into those contacts. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Bradley Byrne: What is a joint session of Congress?
All eyes were on Washington last week as Pope Francis became the first pope to address a joint session of Congress in our nation’s history. As one of the most influential moral leaders in the world, it was an honor to welcome Pope Francis to the Capitol for his historic address. While I am not a Catholic, I was very impressed by what the Pope had to say on important issues like the need to stand up for human life and the importance of traditional families. Pope Francis also urged Congress to never lose focus on our ultimate responsibility: to improve the lives of our neighbors and fellow Americans. Joint sessions of Congress are actually a pretty rare occurrence in Washington. During a joint session, members of the House and the Senate come together in the House chamber to hear from a guest speaker. The meetings are traditionally held in the House chamber because the room is larger and can seat more people. The Vice President, who serves as the president of the Senate, is often present for joint sessions, and he sits on the dais next to the Speaker of the House. Members of the President’s cabinet, Supreme Court justices, and our nation’s top-ranking military officials are also invited to attend. The most well-known joint sessions of Congress are State of the Union addresses. Article II, Section 3 says that the President “shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union.” Many of our early presidents would submit the State of the Union through a written report, but State of the Union addresses have been a common practice since President Woodrow Wilson in 1913. Presidential inaugurations are also technically joint sessions of Congress, even though they often take place outside the Capitol building. A joint session of Congress is also convened to count the electoral votes from Presidential elections and to certify the results. Joint sessions of Congress must be called by leaders of the House or the Senate, and the President cannot unilaterally call for a joint session. That said, it is not uncommon for a president to work with Congressional leaders to arrange special joint sessions if the President would like to speak out on an important issue or a major world event. For example, in September 2001, a joint session of Congress was held for President George W. Bush to outline his strategy for defeating terrorism around the globe. Another common reason for a joint session of Congress would be to hear from a foreign leader or dignitary, as was the case with Pope Francis. The first foreign leader to address a joint meeting of Congress was King Kalakaua of Hawaii in 1874. Since then, there have been 117 foreign leaders to address a joint session of Congress. Since I entered Congress in 2014, we have had four joint sessions of Congress to hear from foreign leaders. In September 2014, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko came before Congress to discuss the threats his country was facing from Russia. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, addressed a joint session in March of this year to discuss the dangers of a nuclear agreement with Iran. Also in March, Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan, spoke to Congress about the progress his country has made and the challenges that remain. In April, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe used a joint session to call for closer ties between Japan and the United States. So as you can probably tell, joint sessions of Congress are a relatively uncommon event, but they almost always carry significance. That was certainly the case last week as Pope Francis stood before Congress for his historic address. Bradley Byrne is a member of the U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
