Trump’s Speech to Congress Page #2

---

(APPLAUSE)

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.

(APPLAUSE)

For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great, great wall along our southern border.

(APPLAUSE)

As we speak tonight, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our very innocent citizens. [Fact check: Not a big change.] Bad ones are going out as I speak, and as I promised throughout the campaign. To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this one question: What would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income or their loved one because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?

(APPLAUSE)

Our obligation is to serve, protect and defend the citizens of the United States. We are also taking strong measures to protect our nation from radical Islamic terrorism.

(APPLAUSE)

According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted of terrorism and terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country. We have seen the attacks at home, from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and, yes, even the World Trade Center. We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.

It is not compassionate, but reckless to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur.

(APPLAUSE)

Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values. We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America, and we cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.

(APPLAUSE) That is why my administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our nation safe, and to keep those out who will do us harm.

(APPLAUSE)

As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS, a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women and children of all faiths and all beliefs. We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.

(APPLAUSE)

I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran’s ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the state of Israel.

(APPLAUSE)

Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a justice to the United States Supreme Court, from my list of 20 judges, who will defend our Constitution.

(APPLAUSE)

I am greatly honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you, Maureen. Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice.

To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill and deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously by the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.

(APPLAUSE)

Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as a country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited. Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force. [Fact check: This is misleading.] Over 43 million people are now living in poverty. [Fact check: True — but the number has also fallen.] And over 43 million Americans are on food stamps. [Fact check: The number is correct.]

More than one in five people in their prime working years are not working. We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years. In the last eight years, the past administration has put on more new debt than nearly all of the other presidents combined.

We’ve lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since Nafta was approved [Fact check: Not because of Nafta.], and we’ve lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion. And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.

Solving these and so many other pressing problems will require us to work past the differences of party. It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history. But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American economy, making it easier for companies to do business in the United States and much, much harder for companies to leave our country.

(APPLAUSE)

Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world. My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone.

(APPLAUSE)

It will be a big, big cut.

At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class. We must create a level playing field for American companies and our workers — have to do it.

(APPLAUSE)

Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes, but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them nothing or almost nothing.

I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the U.S.A., on the front lawn of the White House.

(APPLAUSE)

And they wanted me to ride one, and I said, “No, thank you.”

(LAUGHTER)

At our meeting, I asked them, “How are you doing? How is business?” They said that it’s good. I asked them further, “How are you doing with other countries, mainly international sales?”

They told me — without even complaining, because they have been so mistreated for so long that they’ve become used to it — that it’s very hard to do business with other countries, because they tax our goods at such a high rate. They said that in the case of another country, they taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.

They weren’t even asking for a change. But I am. I believe ...

(APPLAUSE)

I believe strongly in free trade, but it also has to be fair trade. It’s been a long time since we had fair trade.

The first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, warned that “the abandonment of the protective policy by the American government will produce want and ruin among our people.”

Lincoln was right, and it’s time we heeded his advice and his words.

(APPLAUSE)

I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers be taken — advantage of us any longer. They have taken advantage of our country no longer.

(APPLAUSE)

I am going to bring back millions of jobs. Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration.

Rate this script:3.0 / 2 votes