by
Hans Izaak Kriek*
I follow Trump since he started his campaign in June last year and I think he became this night the president of America. He gave the best speech ever, the first entrepreneur as president. He talked about a lot of highlights. Trump condemned recent vandalism of Jewish cemeteries and a hate crime in Kansas that left an Indian man dead.
He declares ‘the time for trivial fights is behind us’ in an attempt to offer an optimistic vision to all Americans. He got a warm and laud applause from most members of Congress. The highlights of his speech were the same – the calls for increased border security, the denunciation of illegal immigrants, the pledge to rebuild the US buying American and hiring American, the warning that US allies must pay their fair share – but the delivery was smoother. For once, Donald Trump’s delivery was spoken, not shouted.
Trump changes his tone
President Trump set out an ambitious agenda as he addressed a joint session of Congress, in a speech more notable for its tone than in substance. “The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us”, Trump said in his hour-long speech.” No attacks on the steaming media, no attacks to the former Obama Administration or his opponent Hillary Clinton. He announced to create millions of jobs. He urged Congress to ‘act decisively’ to repeal and replace Obamacare. Trump promised ‘massive tax relief for the middle class’ and asked Congress to pass a $ 1trillion of dollar infrastructure package.
The president drew loud applause when he railed against the so-called Islamic State and promised to ‘extinguish his vile enemy from our planet. But the most thunderous ovation of the night came when a war widow wept as Trump paid contribute to her husband. Navy Seal Ryan Owens died in a US raid on a suspected al-Qaeda base in Yemen, days into Trump’s presidency. “Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity,” the president told the grieving Carryn Owens, who sobbed. It was one of the rare moments when lawmakers on both sides, Republicans and Democrats of the aisle applauded.
The president drew loud applause when he railed against the so-called Islamic State and promised to ‘extinguish his vile enemy from our planet. But the most thunderous ovation of the night came when a war widow wept as Trump paid contribute to her husband. Navy Seal Ryan Owens died in a US raid on a suspected al-Qaeda base in Yemen, days into Trump’s presidency. “Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity,” the president told the grieving Carryn Owens, who sobbed. It was one of the rare moments when lawmakers on both sides, Republicans and Democrats of the aisle applauded.
He brought Democratic lawmakers to their feet when he asked Congress to pass paid family leave, a long held Democratic Party wish. But in general Democrats barely clapped and some openly laughed at parts of the speech. Trump went on to say: “From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears, inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past, and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.”
It marked a striking change of tone from his campaign and his early days in office, from a president who has frequently feuded with critics, including members of his own party. The optimistic tone was equally a departure from Trump’s inaugural address, in which he painted a picture of a country in decline and memorably promises to end ‘American carnage’. The address night to the Congress from Trump acknowledged that ‘the challenge we face as a nation are great, but he added: “Our people are even greater.”
Tomorrow is another day.
*Hans Izaak Kriek is an international political commentator for European Business Review and editor-in-chief of Kriek Media
By: N. Peter Kramer
