WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was in sales mode.
With Republicans heading into a challenging election year, Trump used his State of the Union address to deliver an upbeat vision of the U.S. But it’s unclear whether that optimism will resonate with voters who are anxious about the economy.
Here are early takeaways from the speech.
Trump's ‘roaring’ economy collides with sour public sentiment
Much of the nation is worried about the direction of the economy, but Trump says the good times are here.
The president insisted repeatedly that the economy is roaring and rising costs are no longer a problem.
“The roaring economy is roaring like never before,” he charged. He cheered the cost of gasoline, mortgage rates, prescription drug prices and the stock market: “Millions and millions of Americans are all gaining. Everybody’s up, way up.”
Every president uses the State of the Union to promote policies. But such optimism, as so many Americans are feeling economic strains, risks painting Trump as out of touch. Just 39% of U.S. adults approved of Trump's handling of the economy in February, according to AP-NORC polling.
Still, Trump focused much of the first hour of his speech on the economy — which is exactly what Republican leaders hoped for.
Trump wraps his speech in the flag
To hear Trump tell it, America is booming.
He opened his speech hailing a country that he said is “bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before.” He celebrated the 250th anniversary of American independence and pledged: “You’ve seen nothing yet.”
But the challenges facing the U.S. were on full display right in front of the president. The nation’s fierce political divide was evident as dozens of Democrats were absent from the chamber, attending other events or simply boycotting the president’s speech.
And within minutes of Trump’s opening remarks, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, was escorted out of the chamber. As Trump began speaking, Green stood and held a sign reading “Black People Aren’t Apes,” a reference to a racist video Trump posted — and then deleted— on social media portraying former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as primates in a jungle.
One notable moment of unity emerged when Trump welcomed members of the U.S. men’s hockey team to their chamber fresh off a thrilling gold medal finish at the Winter Olympics. But even that moment didn’t last long as Trump joked and took a dig at Democrats who he said didn’t rise to greet the team.
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