WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump will deliver his annual State of the Union address Tuesday night and his advisers say he will try and unite the American People.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders indicated the president would highlight what he sees as achievements and downplay any discord over the recent government shutdown.
“You’re going to continue to see the President push for policies that help continue the economic boom,” Sanders said Monday night while appearing on “Hannity” on Fox News. “You’re also going to see the president call on Congress and say, ‘Look, we can either work together and get great things done or we can fight each other and get nothing done.’ And frankly, the American people deserve better than that.”
Washington’s most recent debate, however, offered few signs of cooperation between the President and Democrats.
Under pressure from conservative backers, Trump refused to sign a government funding bill that did not include money for his long-sought border wall.
With hundreds of thousands of Americans missing paychecks, Trump ultimately agreed to reopen the government for three weeks to allow negotiations on border security to continue.
With the new Feb. 15 funding deadline looming, Trump is expected to use his address to outline his demands, which still includes funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump has teased the possibility of declaring a national emergency to secure wall funding if Congress doesn’t act, though it appeared unlikely he would take that step Tuesday night.
Advisers have also been reviewing options to secure some funding without making such a declaration.
Tuesday’s State of the Union Address marks the first time the President is speaking before a Congress that is not fully under Republican control.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who won plaudits from Democrats for her hardline negotiating tactics during the shutdown, will be seated behind the president.
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