State of the Union 2020

President Trump gave his third official State of the Union address tonight, one day before the Senate is expected to acquit him in the impeachment trial.

The speech, which took place in the same room where he was impeached in December, had dramatic surprises and was heavy on reelection themes. Here are the night’s key moments:

Watch Trump and Pelosi interact for the first time in months:

Pelosi rips copy of Trump’s speech following his address:

Trump claimed that the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement, “will create nearly 100,000 new high-paying American auto jobs.” 

Facts First: Trump is inflating his administration’s own estimate of job creation under the new trade deal – which is even higher than an estimate from an independent agency.  

It’s difficult to predict what will happen in the future. But a report from the Trump Administration’s own Office of US Trade Representative put the number at 76,000 jobs over five years. 

The US International Trade Commission, an agency that is part of the federal government but conducts its analysis independently of the administration, estimated an increase of 29,700 jobs in auto parts production because of the USMCA, but a decline of 1,600 jobs in vehicle production.  

Democratic Reps. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey and Tim Ryan of Ohio both said they walked out on President Trump’s address early. 

“I just walked out of the #StateOfTheUnion. I can’t stand a liar,” Pascrell tweeted. “This man’s presidency is a national tragedy.”

Ryan echoed the same sentiment, tweeting that he “had enough” of Trump’s speech.

“It’s like watching professional wrestling. It’s all fake,” he said. 

The atmosphere in the House chamber was tense throughout Trump’s speech, with Democrats audibly groaning at different points as the President boasted about the economy and welfare stats.

Democratic freshman Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts both announced earlier Tuesday that they would not attend Trump’s address at all.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is now delivering the Democrats’ response to President Trump’s State of the Union address.

She started her speech by saying she’d focus of what her party is doing — not what President Trump is saying.

“Instead of talking about what he is saying, I’m going to highlight what Democrats are doing. After all, you can listen to what someone says but to know the truth, watch what they do,” she said.

Watch here:

Trump claimed to have built “over 100 miles” of a “long, tall and very powerful” border wall. 

Facts First: US Customs and Border Protection said that, as of January 31, 115 miles of “new border wall system” had been built. The overwhelming majority has replaced dilapidated barriers with a new, enhanced wall system. Around one mile has been built where there was no previous barrier. 

The Trump administration calls all miles “new,” arguing that it is all a major improvement on what was there before. Critics scoff at the inclusion of replacement and reinforcement barriers in the “new” category, yet administration officials have stood by their classification. 

“One thing I want to emphasize is that every inch of the 100 miles that we have constructed is new border wall system,” acting DHS chief Chad Wolf said in January. “It’s not so-called replacement wall, as some of our critics claimed. It is new wall.”  

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ripped up her printed copy of President Trump’s State of the Union address as lawmakers applauded the end of his speech.

Earlier, when Trump first walked in, Pelosi extended her hand, but Trump did not take it.

Watch moment here:

President Trump reunited a military family during his State of the Union address.

Trump mentioned that Amy Williams and her 2 children — 6-year-old Elliana and 3-year-old Rowan — were in the audience. They were attending the State of the Union while Sergeant First Class Townsend Williams served his fourth deployment to the Middle East.

“But Amy, there’s one more thing: Tonight we have a very special surprise,” Trump said. “I am thrilled to inform you that your husband is back from deployment. He is here with us tonight. And we couldn’t keep him waiting any longer.”

That’s when Townsend Williams walked in to greet his family.

Watch the surprise reunion here:

President Trump mentioned the death of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian commander killed by a US air strike in Baghdad last month.

Soleimani’s death heightened tensions between Iran and the US.

“Soleimani was the Iranian regime’s most ruthless butcher, a monster who murdered or wounded thousands of American service members in Iraq,” Trump said.

“Last month, at my direction, the US military executed a flawless precision strike that killed Soleimani and terminated his evil reign of terror forever,” Trump said as the audience applauded.

A protester was ejected from the House of Representatives for yelling something during President Trump’s State of the Union address, as Trump was talking about protecting the Second Amendment. 

We couldn’t hear what he said. And from our vantage point, it was impossible to tell who he was. He was wearing an orange tie and dark suit.

A chorus of Democrats yelled out “you” when President Trump said during his address that some are trying to destroy health care.

Democrats could be heard laughing when the President said he was taking on big pharmaceutical companies. As Trump riffed on the subject, a crowd of Democrats also started chanting “HR3,” referencing the Democratic health care bill to lower drug prices. 

A number of Democrats also appeared aghast when Trump said, “We will protect patients with pre-existing conditions.” Rep. Norma Torres, a Democrat from California, threw up her hands in the air after the remark.    

Democrats also groaned loudly when Trump mentioned illegal aliens.

Watch moment here:

President Trump has repeatedly promised to protect those with pre-existing conditions, even as he has sought to kill the Affordable Care Act, which greatly expanded those safeguards.  

Facts First: Trump’s claim about protecting those with pre-existing conditions is false. Though Trump says he would do this, his administration has consistently taken steps to undermine the Affordable Care Act — including joining a lawsuit aimed at striking down the law — without presenting alternative plans that would offer similar benefits.  

The Affordable Care Act barred insurers in the individual market from denying people coverage or charging them higher premiums because of their health histories. Also, carriers had to provide comprehensive coverage – offering 10 essential health benefits, including maternity, mental health and prescription drugs.  

Trump has worked to undermine the Affordable Care Act from his first day in office, when he issued an executive order directing agencies to interpret its regulations as loosely as possible. He championed congressional Republicans’ bills in 2017 that would have weakened the law’s protections. 

And his Justice Department is siding with a coalition of Republican states that are fighting in federal court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act. An appellate panel in December upheld a lower court ruling that found Obamacare’s individual mandate unconstitutional but sent the case back to the lower court to decide whether the entire law must fall.  

The President has said repeatedly that he would roll out a new health care plan that would protect those with pre-existing conditions, but he has yet to do so. Last April, he backed away from pushing for a vote on a replacement plan until after the 2020 election.  

Meanwhile, he issued another executive order in late 2017 that would make it easier for Americans to buy alternatives to the Affordable Care Act that are cheaper, but offer fewer protections, such as short-term health plans. The law’s defenders, however, fear that such plans could siphon off younger and healthier people, which could cause premiums to rise for those left buying policies in the Obamacare exchanges.  

Trump’s administration is also allowing states to make major changes to their Obamacare markets, which could also leave low-income, older or sicker residents with few choices and higher costs. Few states have taken the federal government up on this offer so far. 

President Trump urged lawmakers to come up with legislation to lower prescription drug prices — a demand that prompted some Democratic lawmakers to stand up with three fingers in the air.

The three fingers were for HR 3. That bill — now titled the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, in memory of the Maryland congressman who passed away last year — would empower the Health & Human Services secretary to negotiate annually for the best prices on at least 50 costly brand-name drugs and up to 250 medications, including insulin. Prices would be capped at 1.2 times their cost in certain other developed countries.

And it would require drug companies to pay a rebate to the federal government if their prices increase faster than inflation. The plan would impact drug prices for all Americans, not just Medicare enrollees.

Watch the moment:

CORRECTION: This post has been updated to reflect when Elijah Cummings died. It was October 2019.

During his State of the Union address, President Trump presented political radio host Rush Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Democrats yelled “no” when the President announced it.

Limbaugh, 69, announced yesterday that he is beginning treatment for lung cancer. He is a Republican party icon and a close ally of President Trump’s.

“Almost every American family knows the pain when a loved one is diagnosed with a serious illness. Here tonight is a special man, someone beloved by millions of Americans who just received a Stage 4 advanced cancer diagnosis. This is not good news, but what is good news is that he is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet,” Trump said, according to a copy of his prepared remarks.

He then asked first Lady Melania Trump to present him with the honor.

People close to Trump say he personally enjoys granting his friends the nation’s highest civilian honor. He bestowed the award upon seven recipients in 2019, and several more the year prior.

Watch moment here:

President Trump is talking about health care during his State of the Union address, promising to protect American’s Medicare plans and patients with pre-existing conditions.

Trump has made this promise before: President Trump has repeatedly promised to protect those with pre-existing conditions — even as he has sought to kill the Affordable Care Act — which greatly expanded those safeguards.

The Affordable Care Act barred insurers in the individual market from denying people policies or charging them higher premiums because of their health histories. Also, carriers had to provide comprehensive coverage — offering 10 essential health benefits, including maternity, mental health and prescription drugs.

Trump has sought to undermine the Affordable Care Act from his first day in office. And his Justice Department is siding with a coalition of Republican states that are fighting in federal court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act.

Read more here.

Trump said that after losing 60,000 factories under the previous two administrations, America has now gained 12,000 new factories during his time in office.  

Facts First: Both figures are correct, though it’s worth noting that the numbers include both large traditional factories and tiny facilities that produce goods with fewer than five employees. 

There are different ways to measure the number of “manufacturing establishments” in the country. According to the Census Bureau’s Statistics of US Businesses data series, the number of manufacturing establishments in the US fell by 61,076 between 2001, the beginning of the George W. Bush administration – when there were 352,619 establishments– and 2016, the last full year of the Obama administration, when there were 291,543 establishments. That’s a reduction of about 17%. 

Another government measure, the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, shows an increase of 12,074 in the number of manufacturing establishments between the first quarter of 2017 (343,972), when Trump took office, and the second quarter of 2019, the most recent data available (356,046). 

Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaidó is in the audience at the State of the Union address tonight.

He’s a guest of President Trump.

“Joining us in the gallery is the true and legitimate president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó,” Trump said.

There was a long applause, and then Trump added:

“Please take this message back: That all Americans are united with the Venezuelan people in their righteous struggle for freedom. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Socialism destroys nations. But always remember, freedom unifies the soul.”

Watch the moment here:

As President Trump boasts about the economy and takes credit, Democrats can be heard groaning.

The atmosphere is very tense. Democrats are not applauding, other than a few

As the President boasted about welfare stats, Democrats were heard objecting. Republicans howled in support.

By CNN’s count, there were 16 GOP standing ovations until there was one bipartisan standing ovation applauding guest Tony Rankins. 

Also West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is one of the lone Democrats sitting on GOP side of the aisle.

In his State of the Union address, President Trump talked up the production of oil and gas in the US during his time in office. 

“Thanks to our bold regulatory reduction campaign, the United States has become the number one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world, by far,” Trump said. 

Facts First: The US did not become the world’s top energy producer under Trump: It took the top spot under the Obama administration in 2012, according to the US government’s Energy Information Administration. 

The US became the top producer of crude oil in particular during Trump’s tenure.

“The United States has been the world’s top producer of natural gas since 2009, when US natural gas production surpassed that of Russia, and it has been the world’s top producer of petroleum hydrocarbons since 2013, when its production exceeded Saudi Arabia’s,” the Energy Information Administration says.

Tonight’s designated survivor is Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt

Every year the administration appoints one member of the Cabinet to remain outside the House chamber during the State of the Union in case disaster strikes.

As President Trump took his place at the front of the House chamber for his State of the Union address, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi — who is seated behind him — reached out to shake his hand.

Trump did not take it.

Pelosi confirmed today that she hasn’t spoken to the President since the infamous White House Syria meeting — the one where the White House released a picture of her standing up and pointing at him, which she immediately owned and made her profile picture.

That was October — almost four months ago.

“You mean where he circulated the picture of me saying ‘All roads lead to Putin’ that one? Is that what we’re talking about? … We haven’t spoken since then,” said Pelosi.

Since then, the House — under Pelosi’s leadership — approved two articles of impeachment against Trump.

See the exchange here:

President Trump just walked into the House chamber for his State of the Union address.

He’s shaking hands with lawmakers and other guests as he walks to the front of the chamber.

Watch Trump’s full entrance:

First Lady Melania Trump just took her seat in the House chamber for the State of the Union address. The Trump family is sitting next to her.

President Trump’s guests are also in her box. In all, 11 guests are expected to join first lady, each with their own connection to a Trump administration policy.

Watch here:

The Supreme Court Justices who are attending the State of the Union this year were just seated in the Capitol.

The group includes Chief Justice John Roberts — who has recently spent hours in Congress presiding over President Trump’s impeachment trial.

Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Elena Kagan are also there.

Although Justice Stephen Breyer usually attends the event, he will miss it this year because he is traveling and came down with flu-like symptoms, a Supreme Court spokesperson told CNN.

Watch here:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi confirmed today that she hasn’t spoken to the President since the infamous White House Syria meeting — the one where the White House released a picture of her standing up and pointing at him, which she immediately owned and made her profile picture.

That was October — almost four months ago.

“You mean where he circulated the picture of my saying ‘All roads lead to Putin’ that one? Is that what we’re talking about? … We haven’t spoken since then,” said Pelosi.

Pelosi will sit behind President Trump tonight (alongside Vice President Mike Pence) as the President addresses Congress.

Several Democratic lawmakers arrived at to the State of the Union address wearing white dresses and suits.

This isn’t the first year white outfits have been spotted during the annual address.

Last year, the House Democratic Women’s Working Group invited women of both parties to wear white to the address as a symbol of solidarity.

“Wearing suffragette white is a respectful message of solidarity with women across the country, and a declaration that we will not go back on our hard-earned rights,” Rep. Lois Frankel of Florida, the chair of the working group, told CNN at the time.

In 2017, the same group coordinated Democratic women wearing white to Trump’s joint address to Congress. At the time, the women said they were wearing white not only in memory of the women’s suffrage movement but also to show Trump their support for a number of issues affecting women, including affordable health care, reproductive rights and equal pay.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump just left the White House. They’re on their way to Capitol Hill for Trump’s State of the Union address.

The Trumps are riding in the same car tonight. For the last two State of the Union addresses, Melania Trump traveled solo.

See moment here:

The House impeachment managers are expected to sit together tonight at the State of the Union, a Democratic aide said.

The managers are the House Democrats who have been prosecuting the case against President Trump at the Senate trial. They gave their closing remarks in the case yesterday.

President Trump trashed former national security adviser John Bolton and handicapped the 2020 Democratic primary race as part of a wide-ranging off-the-record lunch with anchors from major news networks today ahead of his State of the Union address, multiple sources have told CNN. 

Like American presidents before him, Trump invited anchors from major news networks to dine with him at the White House in advance of his State of the Union address. The conversation is considered off the record — but CNN was excluded this year, and therefore did not agree to the mandate. Anchors from other news outlets did attend the lunch.

Asked for comment about discussions held between the President and those in attendance, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told CNN she would not comment on an “off the record lunch.”

Read more about the lunch here.

A White House official said it’s “highly unlikely” President Trump will refer to impeachment in any way during his State of the Union address tonight. 

White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley said the word “impeachment” does not appear in the formal remarks — but didn’t rule out that Trump will allude to it in some way. In other words, it’s all on “teleprompter Trump” to stay on script.

The White House said Trump will touch on a range of issues during his speech tonight and point to guests to hammer home his agenda. Look for Trump to talk about immigration, the economy and his decision to take out the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.

Chief Justice John Roberts — who has recently spent hours in Congress presiding over President Trump’s impeachment trial — will return tonight to attend the President’s State of the Union address, a Supreme Court spokesperson said.

In the past, Roberts has expressed mixed feelings about the event, but he has always attended.

A court spokesperson told CNN Roberts will be joined by the two justices whom Trump nominated to the high court: Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Justice Elena Kagan will also be there.

Although Justice Stephen Breyer usually attends the event, he will miss it this year because he is traveling and came down with flu-like symptoms, the spokesperson said.

The justices’ wives — Jane Roberts, Ashley Kavanaugh and Louise Gorsuch — will be in the chamber as well as Maureen Scalia, wife of late justice Antonin Scalia.

President Trump will give his State of the Union address tonight in the very chamber where he was impeached by the House late last year, addressing a Congress that remains bitterly divided over whether he committed high crimes and misdemeanors in his effort to pressure Ukraine into investigating a political rival.

The Senate is expected to acquit Trump on the articles of impeachment tomorrow.

Sitting behind him on the dais will be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who oversaw the impeachment efforts after initial resistance. The two haven’t spoken in months.

Trump’s aides insist his speech will be forward-looking and optimistic, despite the deep grievances he fosters over being impeached. His Republican allies have encouraged him to steer clear of the divisive impeachment. And Trump himself insisted during a weekend interview he wasn’t considering moving the speech to a less auspicious date.

“I’ve read through the speech and I’ve not seen the word impeachment,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told reporters at the White House this afternoon.