Trump calls for compromise, defends border wall funding in 2nd ‘State of the Union’
Daily Orange File Photo
Trump also called on Congress to pass a law banning late-term abortion.
UPDATED: Feb. 6, 2019 at 2:24 p.m.
Amid rising partisan tensions in the debate over a southern border wall, President Donald Trump called for political compromise while advocating for hardline border security during his second State of the Union speech on Tuesday night.
The speech came 11 days after a 35-day shutdown occurred and ten days before another government shutdown could occur, as democrats and republicans remain gridlocked over funding for a wall in parts of the country’s border with Mexico.
“An economic miracle is taking place in the United States, and the only things that can stop it are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations,” Trump said.
Citing human trafficking, gang violence, drug-dealing and forced prostitution near the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump called tolerance for illegal immigration cruel.
Trump said that he ordered 3,750 more troops to the southern border because of the “tremendous onslaught” of undocumented immigrants coming to the U.S.
“Smugglers use migrant children as human pawns to exploit our laws and gain access to our country,” he said.
Trump also congratulated the large number of women who started their first terms in Congress in 2019. The 116thCongress has the highest number of freshman congresswomen in history.
He also asked congress to pass a law banning late-term abortion, citing Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s comments on the subject. New York state recently passed the Reproductive Health Act, which offers protections for women requiring late-term abortions and codifying the Supreme Court decision made in Roe v. Wade.
The president announced that he will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a second time, in Vietnam on Feb. 27 and 28 in an effort to cull North Korea’s nuclear program.
Trump also cited job growth and forming a trade deal with China.
CORRECTION: In a previous version of this post, the number of State of the Union speeches President Trump has given was misstated. This was his second address. The Daily Orange regrets this error.
Published on February 5, 2019 at 11:35 pm
Contact Gabe: gkstern@syr.edu | @gabestern326
