Washington - With the impeachment drive
against him ebbing, US President Donald Trump will face his
Democratic accusers on Tuesday night at a State of the Union
speech where he is expected to push his case for another four
years in office.
Trump, a Republican, may be tempted to lash out at the
Democratic critics seated before him in the US House of
Representatives, seeing it as a chance for payback against those
who sought to oust him through what he calls a "witch hunt."
Some of his aides and allies, however, are pressing for him
to avoid a confrontation.
The Republican-led Senate is almost certain to end the
impeachment drive on Wednesday with a vote to acquit him. His
speech, which starts at 9 p.m. ET (0200 GMT) on Tuesday, affords
Trump the opportunity to advance his message for what is likely
to be a hard-fought battle for re-election on November 3.
Aides say there has been an internal debate inside the White
House over whether he should even bring up impeachment in his
speech.
A senior administration official said on Monday night that
Trump was not expected to delve deeply into the issue, if at
all, but acknowledged that this could always change.
Trump himself has said he plans an upbeat speech offering an
optimistic vision at a time when Washington - and the rest of
the country - is polarized over his leadership.
"We’re really looking to giving a very, very positive
message," Trump told reporters during a Super Bowl party at his
golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.
Senator Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican and strong Trump
supporter, told reporters on Capitol Hill on Monday that Trump
would help himself by taking the high road.
“I hope he will smother people with the milk of human
kindness,” Roberts said.
Asked if Trump could turn impeachment to his advantage by
being gracious about it going forward, Roberts said, “Could.
Some of us have urged that.”
The theme of Trump's speech is "The Great American
Comeback." He plans to highlight the strength of the U.S.
economy and achievements to support it like a China trade deal
and another trade pact with Mexico and Canada.
Trump is also expected to offer to work with his political
opponents on issues like reducing healthcare costs and drug
prices and rebuilding infrastructure, officials said.
But with the two parties immersed in election-year
politicking, no major legislative action is expected this year.
Trump is expected to contrast his vision for healthcare with
the plans advanced by his Democratic rivals, a reference to
left-leaning proposals by two of the Democratic presidential
candidates he frequently attacks, Senators Bernie Sanders and
Elizabeth Warren.
He is also expected to promote his efforts to limit migrants
from crossing the southern U.S. border, as well as national
security moves such as his decision to kill Iranian military
commander Qassem Soleimani with a U.S. drone strike.
Still, the president held out little hope for bipartisan
cooperation this year in the wake of the impeachment fight,
saying he doubted Democrats would want to work with him.
"I’m not sure that they can do it, to be honest," Trump told
the Fox network in a Super Bowl Sunday interview.
The State of the Union speech is attended by Democratic and
Republican lawmakers from both the House and the Senate as well
as such VIP guests as Cabinet secretaries and Supreme Court
justices. The television audience for last year's speech was
estimated at 47 million people.