(Getty)
President Donald Trump is giving his first official speech to a joint session of Congress tonight. Although not formally known as a “State of the Union,” it’s essentially the same. We’re going to keep a running tab of all the best and funniest quotes from his speech. Keep refreshing this story, as we’ll be updating it live as the speech continues.
Here are the best quotes from Trump tonight.
“A new chapter of America greatness is now beginning. A new national pride is sweeping across our nation. And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp. What we are witnessing today is a renewal of the American spirit.”
“In nine years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding… It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world. But what will America look like?… I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future.”
“The rebellion started as a quiet focus spoken by families of all colors and creeds … who just wanted a fair shot for their children. For them, the quiet voices became a loud chorus as thousands of citizens now spoke out together… Finally the chorus became an earthquake and the people turned out by tens of millions and they were all united by one very simple and crucial demand: that America must put its own citizens first. Because only then can we truly make America great again.”
“We’re going to stop the regulations that threaten the future and livelihood of our great coal miners. We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines, thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs. And I’ve issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.”
“We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth and we will expand treatment to those who have become so badly addicted.”
“At the same time, my administration has answered the plea … for immigration enforcement and border security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions and billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone.”
“We want all Americans to succeed, but that cant’ happen in an environment of lawless chaos.”
“We will soon begin the construction of a great, great wall along our southern border. As we speak tonight, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our community and prey on our very innocent citizens. bad ones are going out as I speak. To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you … what would you say to the American family that loses their jobs … or loved ones because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders.”
“Our obligation is to serve protect and defend the citizens of the United States. We’re also taking strong measures to protect our nation from radical Islamic terrorism.”
“We have seen the attacks at home from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, the World Trade Center… It is not compassion but reckless to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting can not occur.”
“We cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists. That is why my administration has been working on improved vetting procedures.”
“I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court … to defend our Constitution. I am greatly honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight. Her late great husband … will forever by a symbol of American justice.”
“94 million Americans are out of the labor force … 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not working … In the last eight years the past administration has put on more new debt than nearly all of the other presidents combined. We’ve lost nearly 1/4 of our manufacturing job since NAFTA … Our trade deficit in good with the world last year was nearly $800 billion and overseas we’ve inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters. Solving these … will require us to work past our differences of party. It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge … To accomplish our goals, we must restart the engine of the American economy…”
“I believe strongly in free trade, but it also has to be fair trade. It’s been a long time since we had fair trade. The first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the abandonment of the protective policy of the American government would create want and ruin in the country… It’s time we heeded his advice and his ways.”
“I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers be taken advantage of any longer… They have taken advantage of our country no longer.”
“I’m going to bring back millions of jobs, protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers and puts great pressure on tax cuts. Nations around the world have a merit-based immigration system. IT’s a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially, yet in America we do not enforce this rule. … Our current immigration system costs American taxpayers many billions of dollars a year. Adopting a merit-based system, … it will save countless dollars, raise workers wages, and help struggling families… enter the middle class and they will do it quickly and they will be very, very happy indeed.”
“To improve jobs and wages for America, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws. If we are guided by the wellbeing of American citizens, then I believe Republicans and Democrats … can achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.”
“Dwight D. Eisenhower initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program. The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding. America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all the while our infrastructure at home is crumbling…”
“I will be asking Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in infrastructure in the United States… This effort will be guided by two core principles: buy American and hire American.”
“Tonight I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare… Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for our country. The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost … and that is what we are going to do.”
“Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor and keep your plan. We now know that all of those promises have been totally broken. Obamacare is failing and we must act decisively to protect all Americans.”
Stephanie Dube Dwilson is a news, entertainment & science/tech contributor to Heavy. She’s also a cat blogger, runs a post-apocalyptic blog, and is an attorney (currently not practicing, so she can write more!) In her spare time, Stephanie writes screenplays and novels. You can follow her on Twitter at @StephanieDube or contact her by email here.February 28, 2017 9:42 pm
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