Last night, President Donald Trump spoke to a joint session of Congress for the first time.
The speech, which drew rave reviews on social media and from lawmakers, struck a different tone than previous Trump speaking opportunities. His message was one of unity, and an uplifting message that many may not have expected from Trump.
“It was an inspirational speech, widely applauded, as you can imagine, on our side, but greeted with a lot more applause and respect on the other side than I would have anticipated,” the Kentucky Republican told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
Change in President Trump’s tone was evident as he began his speech when he condemned the recent spate of threats against Jewish community centers, vandalism at Jewish cemeteries and the shooting of two Indian men in Kansas.
He said the violence was a reminder that “while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its very ugly forms.”
President Trump spoke of the future with confidence and aspirations for America. Some excerpts from his speech can be found below:
“From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears, inspired by the future, not bound by failures of the past, and guided by a vision, not blinded by our doubts,” Trump said.
“I am asking all citizens to embrace this renewal of the American spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold, and daring things for our country,” Trump said. “I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment. Believe in yourselves. Believe in your future. And believe, once more, in America.”
Overall, the speech got a variety of reviews on social media, but a common theme was that President Trump “sounded presidential” for one of the first times.
Our question is, did President Trump’s speech strike the right tone?
