IANS | 31 Jan, 2018
A bullish US President Donald Trump has proclaimed a "new
American moment" as he delivered his maiden State of the Union
speech.
In his address to Congress on Tuesday from the
Capitol Hill, he told lawmakers: "There has never been a better
time to start living the American dream."
Addressing
the joint session of Congress in the chamber of the House of
Representatives, Trump outlined his administration's goals for the
next year, including policies on trade, immigration, infrastructure
and national security.
In an upbeat message, a world away
from the apocalyptic tone that he had struck in his "American
carnage" inaugural address in 2017, Trump said his
administration was "building a safe, strong and proud
America".
He defended "the extraordinary
success" he has achieved since taking office on January 20,
2017, and called on the Congress to work together and set aside
differences.
Trump started off with: "Over the last
year, we have made incredible progress and achieved extraordinary
success."
He asked the Democrats and Republicans "to
set aside" their differences, to seek out common ground, and to
summon the unity "we need to deliver for the people. This is
really the key..."
As many as 40 million television
viewers were expected to tune in to the primetime address as he
implored the nation to come together as "one team, one people
and one American family", the excerpts released by the White
House said.
Although the American economy is booming,
Trump's approval rating languishes, the BBC said.
On
foreign policy, Trump noted that nearly all the territory in Syria
and Iraq once controlled by the Islamic State (IS) group has been
retaken. He vowed: "We will continue our fight until IS is
defeated."
Trump praised an army staff sergeant,
Justin Peck, who risked his life to save a comrade in Iraq and was
awarded a Bronze Star.
Peck stood behind the First Lady
Melania Trump. Peck received waves of applause as he shook hands with
her.
Terrorists are not just evil but unlawful criminal
combatants, Trump said and came down heavily on earlier "weak"
US policy to release terror faces like IS chief Al Baghdadi.
"Detain terrorists", he said. "In the
past, we have foolishly released hundreds of dangerous terrorists,
only to meet them again on the battlefield -- including the IS
leader, Al-Baghdadi.
He vowed to keep open the detention
facilities at Guantanamo Bay.
"As part of
our defence, we must modernise and rebuild our nuclear arsenal,
hopefully never having to use it, but making it so strong and
powerful that it will deter any acts of aggression," he said.
Trump said one day there would be a magical moment when
countries of the world would get together to destroy all the nuclear
weapons," unfortunately that time has not come yet".
On
Iran he said: "When the people of Iran rose up against the
crimes of their corrupt dictatorship, I did not stay silent. America
stands with the people of Iran in their courageous struggle for
freedom.
"I am asking the Congress to address the
fundamental flaws in the terrible Iran nuclear deal."
Trump's
address was well punctuated by loud applause, thumping of approval
and standing ovations.
For an hour and 20 minutes Trump
spoke to unify the country as he ended with: "The people dreamed
this country. The people built this country. And it is the people who
are making America great again."
He stepped down from
the rostrum after the winning line for the Republican side: "As
long as we are proud of who we are, ... there is nothing we cannot
achieve..."