US president Donald Trump sought to herald the beginning of a "new chapter of American greatness" on Tuesday night as he urged Congress to unite behind his vision for the country.
In a much-anticipated address to the Joint Houses of Congress, Mr Trump said the US should “not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future” as he pledged to keep the promises he made to the American people in the election.
While the president struck a somewhat milder tone than in previous public speeches, he reiterated his commitment to his most controversial policies, including the construction of a wall on the Mexican border.
For years, he said, America had “defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross”.
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Similarly, the US had spent trillions of dollars overseas while infrastructure at home crumbled, he added.
A central theme of the speech was Mr Trump’s doctrine of economic nationalism as he pledged to prioritise US companies and revive manufacturing industry.
“For too long, we’ve watched our middle class shrink as we’ve exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries,” he said, as he vowed to usher in tax reform that would help American companies “compete and thrive”.
The speech, which was watched by first lady Melania Trump and Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner from the gallery, also referenced the country's drugs and crime problems, with the president using individual stories to support his call for Congress to enact measures to "keep America safe".
Little detail
Among those who attended the address at Mr Trump’s invitation were families of murder victims whose loved ones had been killed by illegal immigrants.
The speech, which was greeted by rapturous applause from the Republican side of the House and stony silence by many on the Democrat side, contained little detail on how Mr Trump intends to implement his priorities, including the politically-contentious issue of healthcare reform.
While Mr Trump pledged to “repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better healthcare,” he provided few details of how this would be achieved.
There was also little detail on foreign policy with Mr Trump moving to reassure US allies of the country’s leadership role in the world.
"Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead," he said, while also referencing the US' continuing commitment to Nato.
But he also suggested that America would be willing to "find new friends" in the world, a remark that may unnerve many who fear a US rapprochement with Russia. "America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align. We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict."
In one of the few policy details to emerge from the speech, Trump said he would explore a “merits-based” approach to legal immigration, citing the Canadian and Australian immigration systems.
Speaking after the address, House speaker Paul Ryan said the speech was a "home run" for Mr Trump, and praised his comments on healthcare reform.
Mr Ryan has been leading behind-the-scene discussions with Republicans on how to repeal the Affordable Health Care act, with divisions emerging within the Republican Party on healthcare reform.
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