for this year's state of the union, president trump talked about immigration policy, health care, the economy, and voter security while addressing a joint session of congress. throughout the speech, he acknowledged several guests in the audience, including radio talkshow host rush limbaugh, who was awarded the presidential medal of freedom and a military wife reunited with her husband who had been deployed overseas. [gavel]

madam speaker, the president of the united states. [applause] [cheers and applause]

[applause]

>> members of congress, the president of the united states. [cheers and applause] [chanting "four more years"] president trump: thank you very much. thank you. thank you very much. madam speaker, mr. vice president, members of congress, the first lady of the united states. [cheers and applause]

president trump: and my fellow citizens, three years ago, we launched the great american comeback. tonight, i stand before you to share the incredible results. jobs are booming. incomes are soaring. poverty is plummeting. crime is falling. confidence is surging. and our country is thriving and highly-respected again. [cheers and applause] president trump: america's enemies are on the run.

america's fortunes are on the rise. america's future is blazing bright. the years of economic decay are over. [cheers and applause] president trump: the days of our country being used, taken advantage of, and even scorned by other nations are long behind us. [applause] president trump: gone too are the broken promises, jobless recoveries, tired platitudes, and constant excuses for the depletion of american wealth, power, and prestige. in just three short years, we have shattered the mentality of american decline and we have

rejected the downsizing of america's destiny. we have totally rejected the downsizing. we are moving forward at a pace that was unimaginable just a short time ago, and we are never ever going back. [cheers and applause] president trump: i am thrilled to report to you tonight that our economy is the best it has ever been. our military is completely rebuilt, with its power unmatched anywhere in the world, and it is not even close. our borders are secure, our families are flourishing, our values are renewed, our pride is

restored, and for all of these reasons i say to the people of our great country and to the members of congress, the state of our union is stronger than ever before. [cheers and applause] president trump: the vision i will lay out this evening demonstrates how we are building the world's most prosperous and inclusive society, one where every citizen can join in america's unparalleled success and where every community can take part in america's extraordinary rise. from the instant i took office, i moved rapidly to revive the

u.s. economy, slashing a record number of job killing-regulations, enacting historic and record-setting tax cuts, and fighting for fair and reciprocal trade agreements. [applause] president trump: our agenda is relentlessly pro-worker, pro-family, pro-growth, and most of all, pro-american. [applause] president trump: thank you. we are advancing with unbridled optimism and lifting our citizens of every race, color,

religion and creed very, very high. since my election, we have created 7 million new jobs, 5 million more than government experts projected during the previous administration. [cheers and applause] president trump: the unemployment rate is the lowest in over half a century. [cheers and applause] president trump: and very incredibly, the average unemployment rate under my administration is lower than any administration in history of our country. [cheers and applause] president trump: if we hadn't reversed the failed economic policies of the previous

administration, the world would not now be witnessing this great economic success. [cheers and applause] president trump: the unemployment rate for african americans, hispanics americans, and asian americans has reached the lowest levels in history. [cheers and applause] president trump: african-american youth unemployment has reached an all-time low. african-american poverty has declined to the lowest rate ever recorded. [cheers and applause]

president trump: the unemployment rate for women reached the lowest level in almost 70 years, and last year women filled 72% of all new jobs added. [cheers and applause] president trump: the veterans unemployment rate dropped to a record low. record low. [cheers and applause] president trump: the unemployment rate for disabled americans has reached an all-time low.

president trump: workers without a high school diploma have achieved the lowest unemployment rate recorded in u.s. history. [cheers and applause] president trump: a record number of young americans are now employed. [applause] president trump: under the last administration, more than 10 million people were added to the food stamp rolls. under my administration, 7 million americans have come off food stamps and 10 million people have been lifted off of welfare. [cheers and applause]

president trump: in eight years under the last administration, over 300,000 working age people dropped out of the workforce. in just three years of my administration, 3.5 million people, working age people, have joined the workforce. [cheers and applause] president trump: since my election, the net worth of the bottom half of wage earners has increased by 47%, three times faster than the increase for the top 1%. [cheers and applause] president trump: after decades of flat and falling incomes, wages are rising fast, and wonderfully, they are rising

fastest for low income workers, who have seen a 16% pay increase since my election. [cheers and applause] president trump: this is a blue-collar boom. [cheers and applause] president trump: real median household income is now at the highest level ever recorded. [cheers and applause] president trump: since my election, u.s. stock markets have soared 70%, adding more than $12 trillion to our nation's wealth, transcending anything anyone believed was possible.

this is a record. it is something that every country in the world is looking up to, they admire [cheers and applause] president trump: consumer confidence has just reached amazing new highs. all of those millions of people with 401(k)s and pensions are doing far better with increases of 60%, 80%, 100%, and even more. jobs and investments are pouring into 9000 previously neglected neighborhoods thanks to opportunity zones, a plan spearheaded by senator tim scott as part of our republican tax cut. [cheers and applause]

president trump: in other words, wealthy people and companies are pouring money into areas that have not seen investments in many decades, creating jobs, energy, and excitement. [applause] president trump: this is the first time that these deserving communities have seen anything like this. it is all working. opportunity zones are helping americans like army veteran tony rankins from cincinnati, ohio. after struggling with drug addition, tony lost his job, his house, and his family. he was homeless, but then tony found a construction company that invested in opportunity zones. he is now a top tradesman, drug-free, reunited with his family, and he is here tonight. keep up the great work, tony. [cheers and applause]

president trump: thank you, tony. our roaring economy has, for the first time ever, given many former prisoners the ability to get a great job and a fresh start. this second chance at life is made possible because we passed landmark justice reform into law. everybody said criminal justice reform couldn't be done, but i got it done, and the people in this room got it done. [cheers and applause]

president trump: thanks to our bold regulatory reduction campaign, the united states has become the number one producer of oil and natural gas anyway in the world, by far. [cheers and applause] president trump: with the tremendous progress we have made over the past three years, america is now energy independent. and energy jobs like so many elements of our country are at a record high. [cheers and applause] president trump: we are doing numbers that no one would have thought possible just three

years ago. likewise, we are restoring our nation's manufacturing might, even though predictions were, as you all know, that this could never be done. after losing 60,000 factories under the previous two administrations, america has now gained 12,000 new factories under my administration with thousands of thousands of plants and factories being planned or being built. [cheers and applause] president trump: companies are not leaving, they are coming back to the usa. [cheers and applause] president trump: the fact is that everybody wants to be where the action is, and the united states of america is indeed the place where the action is. [cheers and applause]

president trump: one of the biggest promises i made to the american people was to replace the disastrous nafta trade deal. [applause] president trump: in fact, unfair trade is perhaps the single biggest reason i decided to run for president. following nafta's adoption, our nation lost one in four manufacturing jobs. many politicians came and went, pledging to change or replace nafta, only to do so and then absolutely nothing happened. but unlike so many who came before me, i keep my promises. we did our job. [cheers and applause]

president trump: six days ago, i replaced nafta and signed the brand new u.s.-mexico-canada agreement into law. the usmca will create nearly 100,000 new high-paying american auto jobs and massively boost exports for our farmers, ranchers, and factory workers. [applause] president trump: it will also bring trade with mexico and canada to a much higher level, but also to a much greater degree of fairness and reciprocity, we will have that. fairness and reciprocity. i say that finally, because it has been many, many years that we were treated fairly on trade. [cheers and applause] president trump: this is the first major trade deal in many years to earn the strong backing of america's labor unions. [applause] president trump: i also promised

our citizens that i would impose tariffs to confront china's massive theft of america's jobs. our strategy has worked. days ago, we signed a groundbreaking new agreement with china that will defend our workers, protect our intellectual property, bring billions and billions of dollars into our treasury, and open vast new markets for products made and grown right here in the usa. [cheers and applause] president trump: for decades, china has taken advantage of the united states. now, we have changed that. but at the same time, we have perhaps the best relationship we have ever had with china,

including with president xi. they respect what we have done, because quite frankly they could never believe they were able to get away with what they were doing year after year, decade after decade, without someone in our country stepping up and saying that's enough. [cheers and applause] president trump: now we want to rebuild our country, and that is president trump: that's why my administration reversed the failing policies of the previous administration on cuba.

[cheers and applause] president trump: we are supporting the hopes of cubans, nicaraguans, and venezuelans. the united states is leading a 59 nation diplomatic coalition against the socialist dictator of venezuela, nicolas maduro. [cheers and applause] maduro is an illegitimate ruler, a tyrant who abuses his people. but his tyranny will be smashed and broken. here this evening is a very here this evening is a very brave man who carries with him the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of all venezuelans. joining us in the gallery is the true and legitimate president of venezuela, juan guaido. [cheers and applause]

president trump: thank you, mr. president. great honor. thank you very much. please take this message back that all americans are united with the venezuelan people in their righteous struggle for freedom. [cheers and applause] president trump: thank you very much, mr. president.

socialism destroys nations, but always remember, freedom unifies the soul. [cheers and applause] president trump: to safeguard american liberty, we have invested a record-breaking $2.2 trillion in the united states military. [cheers and applause] president trump: we have purchased the finest planes, missiles, rockets, ships, and every other form of military equipment, and it's all made

right here in the usa. [cheers and applause] president trump: we are also getting our allies, finally, to help pay their fair share. [cheers and applause] president trump: i have raised contributions from other nato members by more than $400 billion, and the number of allies meeting their minimum obligations has more than doubled. and just weeks ago, for the first time since president truman established the air force more than 70 years earlier, we created a brand-new branch of the united states armed forces. it is called the space force. very important. [cheers and applause]

president trump: in the gallery tonight, we have a young gentleman. and what he wants so badly -- 13 years old -- ian is an eighth grader from arizona. ian, please stand up. ian has always dreamed of going to space. he was the first in his class and among the youngest at an aviation academy. he aspires to go to the air force academy, and then he has his eye on the space force. as ian says, most people look up at space, i want to look down on the world. [cheers and applause]

president trump: but sitting behind ian tonight is his greatest hero of them all, charles mcgee, who was born in cleveland, ohio one century ago. charles is one of the last surviving tuskegee airmen, the first black fighter pilots, and he also happens to be ian's great-grandfather. [cheers and applause]

president trump: incredible story. after more than 130 combat missions in world war ii, he came back home to a country still struggling for civil rights and went on to serve america in korea and vietnam. on december 7, charles celebrated his 100th birthday. [cheers and applause] [cheers] president trump: a few weeks ago, i signed a bill promoting

charles mcgee to brigadier general, and earlier today, i pinned the stars on his shoulders in the oval office. general mcgee, our nation salutes you. thank you, sir. [cheers and applause] president trump: from the pilgrims to the founders, from the soldiers at valley forge to the marchers at selma, and from president lincoln to the reverend martin luther king, americans have always rejected limits on our children's future.

members of congress, we must never forget that the only victories that matter in washington are victories that deliver for the american people. [cheers and applause] president trump: the people are the heart of our country. their dreams are the soul of our country. and their love is what powers and sustains our country. we must always remember that our job is to put america first. [cheers and applause] president trump: the next step forward in building an inclusive society is making sure every young american gets a great education and the opportunity to

achieve the american dream. yet for too long, countless american children have been trapped in failing government schools. to rescue these students, 18 states have created school choice in the form of opportunity scholarships. the programs are so popular that tens of thousands of students remain on a waiting list. one of those students is janiyah one of those students is janiyah davis, a fourth grader from philadelphia. [cheers and applause] president trump: janiyah's mom, stephanie, is a single parent. she would do anything to get her daughter a better future, but last year, that future was put further out of reach when pennsylvania's governor vetoed legislation to expand school choice to 15,000 children.

janiyah and stephanie are in the gallery. stephanie, thank you so much for being here with your beautiful daughter. thank you very much. [cheers and applause] president trump: but janiyah, i have some good news for you. because i am pleased to inform you that your long wait is over. i can proudly announce tonight that an opportunity scholarship has become available, it is going to you and you will soon be headed to the school of your choice. [cheers and applause]

president trump: now i call on congress to give one million american children the same opportunity janiyah has just received. pass the education freedom scholarships and opportunities act, because no parent should be forced to send their child to a failing government school. [cheers and applause] president trump: every young person should have a safe and secure environment in which to learn and to grow. for this reason, our magnificent first lady has launched the "be best" initiative to support a safe and drug-free life for the

next generation, online, in school, and in our communities. thank you, melania, for your extraordinary love and profound care for america's children. thank you very much. [cheers and applause] president trump: my administration is determined to give our citizens the opportunities they need, regardless of age or background. through our pledge to american workers, over 400 companies will also provide new jobs and education opportunities to almost 15 million americans.

my budget also contains an exciting vision for our nation's high schools. tonight, i ask congress to support our students and back my plan to offer vocational and technical education in every single high school in america. [cheers and applause] president trump: to expand equal opportunity, i am also proud that we achieved record and permanent funding for our nation's historically black colleges and universities. [cheers and applause]

president trump: a good life for american families also requires the most affordable, innovative, and high-quality health care system on earth. i moved quickly to provide affordable alternatives. our new plans are up to 60% less expensive, and better. [cheers and applause] president trump: i have also made an ironclad pledge to american families. we will always protect patients with pre-existing conditions. [cheers and applause] president trump: and we will always protect your medicare and

we will always protect your social security. always. [cheers and applause] president trump: the american patient should never be blindsided by medical bills. that is why i signed an executive order requiring price transparency. [cheers and applause] president trump: many experts believe that transparency, which will go into full effect at the beginning of next year, will be even bigger than health care reform. [cheers and applause] president trump: it will save families massive amounts of money for substantially better care, but as we work to improve american's health care, there are those who want to take away your health care, take away your doctor, and abolish private insurance entirely. [boos]

president trump: 132 lawmakers in this room have endorsed legislation to impose a socialist takeover of our health care system, wiping out the private health insurance plans of 180 million very happy americans. [boos] president trump: to those watching at home tonight, i want you to know we will never let socialism destroy american health care. [cheers and applause] president trump: over 130 legislators in this chamber have endorsed legislation that would

bankrupt our nation by providing free taxpayer-funded health care to millions of illegal aliens, forcing taxpayers to subsidize free care for anyone in the world who unlawfully crosses our borders. these proposals would raid the medicare benefits of our seniors and that our seniors depend on while acting as a powerful lure for illegal immigration. that is what is happening in california and other states. their systems are totally out of control, costing taxpayers vast and unaffordable amounts of money. if forcing american taxpayers to provide unlimited free health care to illegal aliens sounds fair to you, then stand with the radical left. but if you believe we should defend ailing american patients and seniors, stand with me to pass legislation to prohibit free government health care for illegal aliens. [cheers and applause]

president trump: this will be a tremendous boon to our already strongly guarded southern border, where as we speak, a long, tall, and very powerful wall is being built. [cheers and applause] president trump: we have now completed over 100 miles and have over 500 miles fully completed in a very short period of time. early next year, we will have substantially more than 500 miles completed. my administration is also taking on the big pharmaceutical companies. we have approved a record number of affordable generic drugs, and medicines are being approved by the fda at a faster clip than ever before. [cheers and applause]

president trump: and i was pleased to announce last year that for the first time in 51 years, the cost of prescription drugs actually went down. [cheers and applause] president trump: and working together, congress can reduce drug prices substantially from current levels. i have been speaking to senator chuck grassley of iowa and others in congress in order to get something on drug pricing done, and done quickly and properly. i am calling for bipartisan legislation that achieves the goal of dramatically lowering prescription drug prices. get a bill on my desk and i will sign it into law immediately. [cheers and applause]

[chanting] president trump: this unyielding .ommitment we are fighting the opioid epidemic. drug overdose deaths declined for the first time in nearly 30 years. [applause] president trump: among the states hardest hit, ohio is down 22%. pennsylvania is down 18%. wisconsin is down 10% and we will not quit until we have beaten the opioid epidemic once and for all. [cheers and applause]

president trump: protecting american's health also means fighting infectious diseases. we are coordinating with the chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in china. my administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat. we have launched ambitious new initiatives to substantially improve care for americans with kidney disease, alzheimer's, and those struggling with mental health. and because congress was so good as to fund my request, new cures for childhood cancer. and we will eradicate the aids epidemic in america by the end of this decade. [cheers and applause]

president trump: almost every american family knows the pain when a loved one is diagnosed with a serious illness. here tonight is a special man, beloved by millions of americans, who just received a stage four advanced cancer diagnosis. this is not good news, but what is good news is that he is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet, rush limbaugh. thank you for your decades of devotion to our country. [cheers and applause]

president trump: and rush, in recognition of all that you have done for our nation, the millions of people a day that you speak to and that you inspire, and all of the incredible work you have done for charity, i am proud to announce tonight you will be receiving our country's highest civilian honor, the presidential medal of freedom. [cheers and applause]

president trump: i will now ask the first lady of the united states to present you with the honor. please. [applause] [cheers and applause]

[applause] president trump: rush and kathryn, congratulations. thank you, kathryn. as we pray for all who are sick, we know america is constantly achieving new medical breakthroughs. in 2017, doctors at st. luke's hospital in kansas city delivered one of the earliest premature babies to ever survive. born at just 21 weeks and six days and weighing less than a pound, ellie schneider was a born fighter. through the skill of her doctors and the prayers of her parents,

little ellie kept on winning the battle of life. today, ellie is a strong, healthy two-year-old girl sitting with her amazing mother, robin, in the gallery. we are gladbin, to have you with us tonight. [cheers and applause] president trump: ellie reminds us that every child is a miracle of life. thanks to modern medical wonders, 50% of very premature babies delivered at the hospital where ellie was born now

survive. just an incredible thing. thank you very much. [applause] president trump: our goal should be to ensure that every baby has the best chance to thrive and grow, just like ellie. that is why i am asking congress to provide an additional $50 million to fund neonatal research for america's youngest patients. [cheers and applause] president trump: that is why i am also calling upon members of congress tonight to pass legislation finally banning the late-term abortion of babies. [cheers and applause]

president trump: whether we are republican, democrat, or independent, surely we must all agree that every human life is a sacred gift from god as we support america's moms and dads. i was recently proud to sign the new law offering parents in the workforce paid family leave, serving as a model for the rest of the country. [cheers and applause] president trump: now, i call on congress to pass the bipartisan advancing support for working families act, extending family leave to mothers and fathers all across our nation. [cheers and applause]

president trump: 40 million american families have an average $2200 extra thanks to our child tax credit. [cheers and applause] president trump: i've also overseen historic funding increases for high-quality child care, enabling 17 states to help more children, many of which have reduced or eliminated their wait lists altogether. [applause] president trump: and i sent congress a plan with a vision to expand access to high-quality child care and urge you to act immediately. [applause] president trump: to protect the environment, days ago, i

announced that the united states will join the one trillion trees initiative, an ambitious effort to bring together government and private sector to plant new trees in america and all around the world. [cheers and applause] president trump: we must also rebuild america's infrastructure. [cheers and applause] president trump: i ask you to

pass senator john barrasso's highway bill to invest in new roads, bridges, and tunnels all across our land. i am also committed to ensuring that every citizen can have access to high-speed internet, including and especially in rural america. [cheers and applause] president trump: a better tomorrow for all americans also requires us to keep america safe. that means supporting the men and women of law enforcement at every level, including our nation's heroic i.c.e. officers. [cheers and applause] president trump: last year, our brave i.c.e. officers arrested more than 120,000 criminal aliens charged with nearly 10,000 burglaries, 5000 sexual assaults, 45,000 violent assaults and 2000 murders.

tragically, there are many cities in america where radical politicians have chosen to provide sanctuary for these criminal illegal aliens. [boos] president trump: in sanctuary cities, local officials order police to release dangerous criminal aliens to prey upon the public instead of handing them over to i.c.e. to be safely removed. just 29 days ago, a criminal alien freed by the sanctuary city of new york was charged with the brutal rape and murder of a 92-year-old woman. the killer had been previously arrested for assault, but under new york sanctuary policies, he was set free. if the city had honored i.c.e.'s detainer request, his victim would still be alive today. the state of california passed an outrageous law declaring their whole state to be a sanctuary for criminal illegal immigrants, a very terrible

sanctuary, with catastrophic results. here is just one tragic example. in december 2018, california police detained an illegal alien with five prior arrests, including convictions for robbery and assault. but as required by california's sanctuary law, local authorities released him. days later, the criminal alien went on a gruesome spree of deadly violence. he viciously shot one man going about his daily work. he approached a woman sitting in her car and shot her in the arm and in the chest. he walked into a convenience store and wildly fired his weapon. he hijacked a truck and smashed into vehicles, critically injuring innocent victims. one of the victims is a terrible, terrible situation. died, 51-year-old american named

rocky jones. rocky was at a gas station when this vile criminal fired 8 bullets at him from close range, murdering him in cold blood. rocky left behind a devoted family, including his brothers who loved him more than anything else in the world. one of his grieving brothers is here with us tonight. would you please stand? [applause] our hearts weep for your loss, and we will not rest until you have justice.

senator thom tillis is introducing legislation that will allow those like jodi to sue sanctuary states. i asked congress to pass the justice for victims of sanctuary cities act immediately. the united states of america should be a sanctuary for law-abiding americans, not criminal aliens. [applause] in the last three years, i.c.e. has arrested over 5000 wicked human traffickers. i have signed nine pieces of

legislation to stamp out human trafficking domestically and all around the globe. my administration has undertaken an unprecedented effort to secure the southern border of the united states. [applause] before i came into office, if you showed up illegally at our southern border and were arrested, you were simply released and allowed into our country, never to be seen again. my administration has ended catch and release. [applause] if you come illegally, you will now be promptly removed from our country. [applause] very importantly, we entered into historic cooperation agreements with the governments of mexico, honduras, el salvador and guatemala. as a result of our unprecedented

efforts, illegal crossings are down 75% since may, dropping eight straight months in a row. [applause] and as the wall rapidly goes up, drug seizures rise and the border crossings are going down and going down very rapidly. last year, i traveled to the border in texas and met chief patrol agent raul ortiz. over the last 24 months, agent ortiz and his team have seized more than 200,000 pounds of poisonous narcotics, arrested more than 3000 human smugglers, rescued more than 2000

migrants. agent ortiz was promoted to deputy chief of border patrol and joins us tonight. chief ortiz, please stand. [applause] a grateful nation thanks you and all of the heroes of border patrol and i.c.e. thank you very much. thank you. to build on these historic gains, we are working on legislation to replace our outdated and randomized immigration system with one based on merit, welcoming those who follow the rules, contribute to our economy, support themselves financially and uphold our values. [applause] with every action, my administration is restoring the rule of law and reasserting the culture of american freedom.

[applause] working with senate majority leader mitch mcconnell -- thank you, mitch. [applause] and his colleagues in the senate, we have confirmed a record number of 187 new federal judges to uphold our constitution as written. this includes two brilliant new supreme court justices, neil gorsuch and brett kavanaugh. thank you. [applause] and we have many in the pipeline. [applause]

my administration is also defending religious liberty. and that includes the constitutional right to pray in public schools. [applause] in america, we don't punish prayer, we don't tear down crosses, we don't ban symbols of faith, we don't muzzle preachers and pastors. in america, we celebrate faith, we cherish religion. we lift our voices in prayer and we raise our sights to the glory of god. just as we believe in the first amendment, we also believe in another constitutional right that is under siege all across our country. so long as i am president, i will always protect your second amendment right. [applause]

to keep and bear arms. [applause] in reaffirming our heritage as a free nation, we must remember that america has always been a frontier nation. now, we must embrace the next frontier, america's manifest destiny in the stars. i am asking congress to fully fund the artemis program to ensure that the next man and first woman on the moon will be american astronauts, using this as a launching pad to ensure that america is the first nation to plant its flag on mars. [applause]

my administration is also strongly defending our national security and combating radical islamic terrorism. [applause] last week, i announced a groundbreaking plan for peace between israel and the palestinians, recognizing that all past attempts have failed. we must be determined and creative in order to stabilize the region and give millions of young people the chance to realize a better future. three years ago, the barbarians of isis held over 20,000 square miles of territory in iraq and syria. today, the isis territorial caliphate has been 100% destroyed and the founder and

leader of isis, the bloodthirsty killer known as al-baghdadi, is dead. [applause] president trump: we are joined this evening by carl and marsha mueller. after graduating from college, their beautiful daughter became a humanitarian aid worker. she once wrote, "some people find god in church. some people find god in nature, some people find god in love. i find god in suffering. i have known for some time what my life's work is, using my hands as tools to relieve suffering." in 2013, while caring for those suffering in syria, she was kept as a prisoner by al-baghdadi himself.

after more than 500 horrifying days of captivity, al-baghdadi murdered young, beautiful kayla. she was just 26 years old. forcesnight u.s. special operations ended al-baghdadi's miserable life, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff received a call in the situation room. of thetold the elite man special forces team that so perfectly carry out the operation had given their mission a name -- task force 814. it was a reference to a special day -- august 14. kayla's birthday. warriors never forgot kayla and neither will we. thank you.

[applause] every day, america's when and women in uniform -- men and women in uniform demonstrate the infinite depth of love that dwells in the human heart. heroes wase american army staff sergeant christopher hey. on his second deployment, he wrote a letter to his one-year-old son, gage. i will be with you again, he wrote. i will teach you to ride your first bike, build your first

sandbox, watch you play sports, and see you have kids, also. i love you. take care of your mother. i am always with you. daddy. 2008, chris was on patrol in baghdad when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. that night, he made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. the sergeant now rest in eternal glory in arlington and his wife, kelly, is in the gallery tonight, joined by their son who is now a 13-year-old and doing very well. to kelly and gage, chris will live in our hearts forever. he is looking down on you now. thank you. [applause]

thank you both very much. the terrorist responsible for killing the sergeant was qasem soleimani. he provided the deadly roadside bomb that took chris's life. soleimani was the iranian regime's most ruthless butcher. a monster who murdered and wounded thousands of american service members in iraq. as the world's top terrorist, soleimani orchestrated the death of countless men, women, and children. he directed the december assault and went on to assault u.s. forces in iraq, was actively planning new attacks when we hit

him hard. last month at my direction the u.s. military executed a flawless precision strike that killed soleimani and terminated his evil reign of terror forever. [applause] our message to the terrorist is clear. you will never escape american justice. if you attack our citizens, you forfeit your life. [applause] have seenmonths we proud iranians raise their voices against their oppressive rulers.

must abandonegime its pursuit of nuclear weapons, stop spreading terror, and start working for the good of its own people. because of our powerful sanctions, the iranian economy is doing very poorly. we can help them make a good and short time recovery. it can all go very quickly. perhaps they are too proud or too foolish to ask for that help. we are here. let's see which way they choose. it is totally up to them. [applause] as we defend american lives, we are working to end america's wars in the middle east. in afghanistan the determination and valor of our fighters has allowed us to make tremendous progress and peace talks are now underway. i am not looking to kill hundreds of thousands of people in afghanistan, many of them

totally innocent. tois also not our function serve other nations as law enforcement agencies. these are war fighters that we have, the best in the world. they either want to fight to win or not fight at all. we are working to finally end america's longest war and bring our troops back home. [applause] war places a heavy burden on our nation's extraordinary military families, especially spouses like amy williams from fort bragg, north carolina and her two children, six-year-old eliana and three-year-old roland. amy works full time and volunteers countless hours

helping other military families. for the past several months she has done it all while her husband has been in afghanistan on his fourth deployment in the middle east. amy's kids had not seen their father's face in many months. your family sacrifice makes it possible for all of our families to live in safety and in peace and we want to thank you. thank you, amy. [applause] but amy, there is one more thing. tonight, we have a very special surprise. i am thrilled to inform you that your husband is back from deployment. he is here with us tonight. [applause]

"usa"]ng president trump: welcome home, sergeant williams. thank you very much. as the world bears witness tonight, america is a land of heroes. there's a place where greatness is born, where destinies are forged and where legends come to life. this is the home of thomas edison and teddy roosevelt.

of many great generals including washington pershing, patton, and mcarthur. this is the home of abraham lincoln, frederick douglass, amelia earhart, harriet tubman, the wright brothers, neil armstrong and so many more. this is the country where children learn names like wyatt earp, davey crockett, and annie oakley. this is the place where the pilgrims landed at plymouth and where texas patriots made their last stand at the alamo. [applause] the beautiful, beautiful alamo. the american nation was carved out of the vast frontier by the toughest, strongest, fiercest, and most determined men and women to walk on the face of the earth. our ancestors braved the

unknown, tamed the wilderness, settled the wild west, lifted millions from poverty, disease tyrannyer, vanquished and fascism, ushered the world to new heights of science and medicine, laid down the railroads, dug out the canals, raised up the skyscrapers, and ladies and gentlemen, our ancestors built the most exceptional republic ever to exist in human history. we are making it greater than ever before. [applause] president trump: this is our

glorious and magnificent inheritance. we are americans, we are pioneers, we are the pathfinders, we settled the new world, we built the modern world and we changed history forever truthracing the eternal that everyone is made equal by the hand of almighty god. [applause] america is the place where anything can happen. america is the place where anyone can rise. here, on this land, on this soil, on this continent, the most incredible dreams come true. this nation is our canvas and this country is our masterpiece.

we look at tomorrow and see unlimited frontiers just waiting to be explored. our brightest discoveries are not yet known. our most thrilling stories are not yet told. our grandest journeys are not yet made. the american age, the american epic, the american adventure has only just begun. our spirit is still young. the sun is still rising. god's grace is still shining. my fellow americans, the best is yet to come. thank you. thank you, god bless you, and god bless america. [applause]

>> great speed great speech. -- great speech, great speech.

unbelievable. >> you get better every year, buddy. >> a great defense of american exceptionalism. thank you. >> great speech. president.mr. absolutely brilliant. >> amazing job, sir. great speech. great job.

year, michigan governor gretchen whitmer gave the number craddock response to the president stayed at the union address. she was elected in 2018 after serving more than a decade in the state legislature. she reacted by talking about infrastructure, health care, and wage increases. [applause] governor witmer: good evening, i am honored to be here and grateful your tung