President Trump's first address to Congress came as a surprise to many due to its tone: in contrast to his prior behavior, the President appeared to be making an attempt to embody the formality of the Office. His demeanor was more subdued, and the language he used was more inclusive and optimistic than has come to be expected of him. The motivation for Trump's relatively restrained manner during his first address to Congress is presumably his approval ratings, which are the lowest in recorded history (they currently hover between 38 and 50%). While Trump continues to be effective at galvanizing his core base of white, non-college educated voters, he will need to adopt a less partisan approach if he hopes appeal to the wider body of the United States and ameliorate his ratings.
Trump's rhetoric unfurled a nationalist vision of the United States, a so-called, "new chapter of American greatness." "From now on," he stated from the presidential podium, "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." However, the loftiness of Trump's speech and the reality of his administration are not in agreement. As Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer stated to CNN, "Until his reality catches up with his speeches, [Trump's] got big trouble."
The reality of what Trump stated in his address is under scrutiny. Many of his statements ran afoul of the facts. He reaffirmed the belief that immigration causes American taxpayers to lose "billions of dollars a year," which is false-immigration actually has a positive affect on long-term economic growth. He falsely cited the amount spent by the United Sates in the Middle East as $6 trillion (it is $1.7 trillion). He promised that he would promote "clean air and clean water", but hours before signed an executive order to roll back the "Clean Water Rule" of 2015. His assertion that "94 million Americans are out of the labor force" failed to stipulate that within that category are homemakers, college students, and retirees (many of whom do not want to be employed). His claim that the United States has in the past left, "our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross" is in opposition to the fact that, since 2001, the number of agents and the budget of the border control has doubled.
To Trump's supporters, such inconsistencies are unimportant compared to the President's promise of action. According to a recent Politico/Morning Consult poll, 56% of voters believe that Trump is following through on his campaign promises (regardless of whether those voters agree with those promises). In the brief time since his inauguration, Trump has been keen to appear constantly active. He is on camera constantly, in an attempt to show his constituents that he is saving jobs, meeting political leaders, cracking down on illegal immigrants, and prioritizing "America-first" policies. However, if Trump hopes to get funding from Congress, he will have to make more attempts to appeal to the wider American audience. Only time will tell whether his first address to Congress was successful in doing so.
