President Donald Trump delivered his third State of the Union address to a bicameral session of Congress on Tuesday night. The 1 hour 18 minutes-long speech was filled with dramatic surprises and served as the formal launch of Trump’s reelection campaign, with Republicans at one point chanting “Four more years! Four more years!”
While touting his economic achievements and new trade deals with China and North America, Trump also heralded the newly formed Space Force military branch and tough border security positions. Steering clear from any talk of impeachment, he also sprinkled in some theatrics, by conferring the Presidential Medal of Freedom on conservative radio presenter Rush Limbaugh after his recent cancer diagnosis, and surprising a military spouse by announcing her husband was back from deployment, orchestrating a tearful reunion in the gallery. Trump also introduced the man the US considers the rightful President of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, in a rare moment of bipartisan applause.
Trump did not deliver any direct criticism of any potential rival from the Democratic field but warned against a "socialist takeover of our health care system," an implicit rebuke of democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders. He also mentioned vague commitments to protect health insurance for Americans with pre-existing conditions, despite the fact that his administration has consistently taken steps to undermine the Affordable Care Act, without providing any viable alternatives.
Image Source: The Atlantic Council