President Donald Trump will call for bipartisanship Tuesday night — as long as it leads to his desired policy outcomes.
In his State of the Union address, the president will urge lawmakers to break “decades of political stalemate,” according to excerpts released by the White House. But he will push for progress in areas where Congress has failed to find consensus during his presidency, from immigration to infrastructure, trade and drug prices.
The president will seek cooperation to address issues “neglected by BOTH parties over many decades.” However, the remarks come as the prospect of harmony appears increasingly dim.
Congressional negotiators are struggling to reach a deal to overhaul the immigration system and avoid another partial government shutdown when funding expires on Feb. 15. Earlier in the day, Trump railed against Democrats in a lunch with television anchors, including by calling Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer a “nasty son of a bitch,” according to The New York Times.
The president will outline what he considers his successes and push for what he calls “the agenda of the American People” before a joint session of Congress. Still, the issues Trump plans to target will hardly be easy to resolve in an era of divided government when his hopes for re-election next year hang by a thread.
Trump will push for an “immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens” — a goal which undoubtedly includes the proposed border wall that he has so far failed to build. Democrats did not yield to Trump’s demand to fund the barrier, leading to a 35-day partial government shutdown during parts of December and January.
He will also say that “both parties should be able to unite for a great rebuilding of America’s crumbling infrastructure.” Democrats and Republicans want to upgrade U.S. roads, bridges and tunnels, but need to resolve differences about how to fund the improvements.
Trump will push for “reversing decades of calamitous trade policies.” The president is currently trying to overcome congressional skepticism to pass a new North American trade agreement and strike a trade overhaul with China by March 1.
Even many Democrats agree with his effort to revise trade deals and enforce better protections for U.S. workers. But members of both major parties who favor free trade have pushed back against his tariff policy that threatens a devastating trade conflict with China if the world’s two largest economies cannot strike a new agreement.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
