Donald Trump's speech to Congress: Here's what to expect
Updated
Donald Trump is about to give his first address before a joint sitting of the US Congress.
It's an important speech that will have repercussions around the world, with financial markets ready and waiting to react to the President's words.
Normally this is where the president would deliver a State of the Union address, a duty of the president set out in the US Constitution.
Mr Trump's speech isn't officially a State of the Union address, but first-term president still visit Congress to deliver the address.
Here's five things to expect from Mr Trump when he steps up the lectern at 1:00pm AEDT.
1. A little bit of optimism
Remember when Mr Trump described scenes of "American carnage" during his inauguration speech?
Don't expect to see that today.
He told Reuters this week the address would be a speech of optimism.
A memo sent out by the White House this week said Mr Trump would invite Americans to come together (protests have become a bit of a thing in his first month in office).
He'll be hoping it can lift his approval rating of about 44 per cent, according to an average of recent polls by Real Clear Politics.
That's a historic low for a new president.
2. He's got a list, and he'll check it twice
Specifically a list of campaign promises he's already fulfilled.
Likely to be on it are:
- Withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership
- Appointing conservative judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court
- Cracking down on immigration in the US (and maybe how he'll fix the mess the first executive order created)
It's a specific tactic to appeal to his core group of voters and to avoid criticism that he's just another politician, according to Vox.
3. More about his plan to build up the military (and how he'll pay for it)
ICYMI: Mr Trump wants a big increase in how much America spends on its military.
We should get some more specifics how he plans to pay for it as part of a broader discussion about his economic policy.
Mr Trump has promised to cut taxes for millions of Americans, and the Congress is eager to hear about how he'll do that while spending an extra $US54 billion ($70 billion) on the military.
4. What's happening with Obamacare
Will it be repealed and replaced? What's it going to be replaced with?
Republican efforts to change President Obama's signature healthcare law haven't been going well.
They've been blasted by voters at town hall meetings (who don't want changes) as well as more conservative members of the Congress (who say draft changes don't go far enough).
Mr Trump hasn't released his specific healthcare plans, and Republicans are desperate for some direction on what changes lie ahead
5. Plans to explore space again
OK, so take this one with a grain of salt.
But there are reports from the LA Times this morning that Mr Trump will call for the return of manned space exploration.
Maybe he just doesn't like being outdone by fellow business magnate Elon Musk?
ABC/Reuters
Topics: donald-trump, world-politics, government-and-politics, united-states
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