President Donald Trump will deliver his first State of the Union address Tuesday evening and provide his assessment of his first year in office with a look ahead at his agenda as he continues to work towards fulfilling his campaign promise to "make America great again."
Interested in Donald Trump?
Add Donald Trump as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Donald Trump news, video, and analysis from ABC News.
Add Interest
But amid what Trump told White House officials would be a "positive and uplifting" speech lies the cloud of an investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election and alleged possible collusion between Trump associates and Russian operatives — a storyline which has dominated the news cycle throughout the first twelve months of his presidency.
The debate over immigration factored prominently into the showdown and, ultimately, led to a three-day-long federal government shutdown.
ABC News will be providing live updates throughout the evening and during the address. Check back for more.
Live updates:
A year in, voters grade Trump's performance ahead of State of the Union
As President Donald Trump's first State of the Union looms large tonight, voters in three counties that were key in the 2016 election are discussing their impressions on the commander-in-chief with "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir.
Muir spoke with voters in Pennsylvania's Monroe County, Michigan's Saginaw County and Wisconsin's Sauk County -- the unexpected battlegrounds where the 2016 election was decided by just 77,000 votes in those three states. - ABC's Eric Noll, Esther Castillejo and Robert Henault
Read more here.
5 things to watch for in President Trump's State of the Union Address
President Donald Trump has made headlines on everything from immigration reform to the NFL, from Russia to the border wall. But which of these topics will come up when he gives his first State of the Union address on Tuesday night?
The White House offered five agenda items the president will address: jobs and the economy, infrastructure, immigration, trade, and national security. But ABC News is looking at five other possibilities that might garner a mention or may be a silent presence in the room: "Dreamers," the Supreme Court, health care, "things left unsaid," and the 2018 midterm elections. - ABC's Emily Goodin
Read more here.
Women's group projects message on side of Trump International Hotel in Washington
Alex Brandon/AP
Roberts County: A year in the most pro-Trump town in America
Miami is a town in the Texas panhandle where everyone knows everyone at the grocery store and servers at the local diner know who likes what kind of pie with their chicken fried steak.
The community's busy season is largely dictated by the needs of the cattle, tended to on sprawling ranches surrounding the town. With a population of about 600, there are more cows than people in Miami, pronounced locally as my-AM-uh.
But the results of the November 2016 election brought an influx of new human faces to Roberts County as news crews descended. - ABC's Meghan Keneally, Amna Nawaz, Jessica Hopper and Jason Kurtis
Read more here.
Trump to proclaim 'New American Moment,' tout fulfilled promises: Excerpts
Trump will use the State of the Union to highlight several areas in which he claims he fulfilled promises to the country, including tax reform, energy and the fight against ISIS, and will declare the start of a "new American moment," according to excerpts of his address released by the White House Tuesday evening.
"Together, we are building a safe, strong and proud America" Trump is expected to say in just one of the passages in which he discusses unity, despite the ongoing partisanship that has plagued his first year in office.
"Tonight I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, color, and creed," reads another line.
Additional portions of the speech will call for the restoration of "bonds of trust between our citizens and their government" and promise action on immigration reform and infrastructure. - ABC's Adam Kelsey and Jordyn Phelps
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to serve as designated survivor
Perdue will not attend the State of the Union and will instead travel to a secure location where he will stay until the event's completion. Should a disaster occur at the Capitol leaving the country's leaders incapacitated, Perdue would be charged with leading the government.
Read "Tales from past 'designated survivors' who had to miss the State of the Union" here. - ABC's Meghan Keneally
Ahead of State of the Union, lawmakers weigh in on state of Congress
Will Trump mention #metoo at State of the Union?
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
The reverberations of the #metoo movement have echoed around the country and inspired a record number of women to run for public office.
For Trump, it's a complicated issue, political science experts said.
“Donald Trump is probably not the best standard bearer for this,” said Michele Swers, a professor of American Government at Georgetown University. - ABC's Emily Goodin
Read more here.
White House shares picture of Trump with First Lady's guests
Trump welcomed some of the individuals who will be sitting in the First Lady's box during the State of the Union to the Oval Office this afternoon.
In a photo posted on Twitter by social media director Dan Scavino, Trump is pictured with parents who lost a child to an alleged murder by MS-13 gang members.
Today, @POTUS @realDonaldTrump welcomes #SOTU honored guests; Robert Mickens, Evelyn Rodriguez, Freddy Cuevas and Elizabeth Alvarado to the @WhiteHouse.
Read more on tonight’s honored guests: 45.wh.gov/SOTUGuests
What to expect from President Trump's State of the Union address
At least 8 Democrats boycotting State of the Union over 'racist,' 'divisive' remarks
At least eight House Democrats now have said they will boycott President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech, citing his divisive rhetoric and, in some cases, his reported use of a slur to describe African countries during a White House meeting on immigration.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., announced over Twitter in early January that he would not attend the speech, later adding that he would send a guest in his place, an Oregon resident and recipient of protections under the DACA program for immigrants brought into the U.S. illegally as children. - ABC's Ali Rogin
Read more here.
Government flubs State of the Union tickets with major typo
Even before President Donald Trump's first State of the Union address Tuesday things got off to a rocky start with government officials sending out tickets containing one glaring typo: The word “union” was misspelled.
Members of Congress shared images of the tickets on Monday, which invited them to the president’s annual “Address to Congress on the State on the ‘Uniom.’” - ABC's Karma Allen
Read more here.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates
No comments: