12 Big Lines From Trump's Speech

A 'new chapter in American greatness'
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 28, 2017 10:00 PM CST
12 Big Lines From Trump's Speech
President Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill.   (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool Image via AP)

President Trump made his first address to Congress Tuesday night with a speech that began by condemning the recent wave of anti-Semitism around the US, moved on to his accomplishments, and laid out a broad agenda toward a new "American greatness." A full transcript is here. Some of his biggest lines:

  • "When we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American greatness began."
  • "We are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms."
  • "We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorists to form inside America. We cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists."
  • "We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet," referring to ISIS.
  • "Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for our country," he said, calling on Congress to "repeal and replace ObamaCare."

  • "I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American victims," he said, referring to crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. "The office is called VOICE—Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests."
  • "Education is the civil rights issue of our time."
  • "We’ve spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled."
  • "People turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first, because only then, can we truly 'Make America Great Again,'" he said, referring to his election win.
  • “We want all Americans to succeed—but that can’t happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law at our borders,” he said, promising that contstruction would soon start on "a great wall along our southern border."
  • But: "I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws." (Before the speech, he suggested he was softening his position on allowing more undocumented immigrants to stay.)
  • "Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every problem can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, and hope."
Democrats heckled him a bit, and the widow of a SEAL got a long standing ovation. (More President Trump stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X