Trump expected to tout unity, call for border wall in his 1st State of the Union speech to a divided Congress

White House policy adviser Stephen Miller's notes for Trump's 2019 State of the Union
(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President Trump will address the nation from the House chamber Tuesday night, delivering his first State of the Union speech to a Congress where Democrats control one chamber. White House officials say Trump will call for unity and optimism, but lingering tensions from the five-week government shutdown and two years of frequent taunts might make that a hard sell for Democrats.

Trump is also expected to speak about immigration, make another case for his proposed border wall, highlight the economy, and maybe propose ending HIV transmissions by 2030 or another "moonshot" goal. In a letter to Democrats on Monday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she hoped "we will hear a commitment from the president on issues that have bipartisan support in the Congress and the country, such as lowering the price of prescription drugs and rebuilding America's infrastructure."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.