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Trump Gives First State Of The Union Address

RFE/RL January 31, 2018

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump has given his first State of the Union address to a joint session of U.S. Congress -- a speech on January 30 that dwelt mainly on domestic U.S. issues, but was closely watched for clues about his intentions on foreign policy.

Trump called on U.S. lawmakers to fix what he called "fundamental flaws in this terrible Iran nuclear deal" -- a landmark 2015 accord between Iran and six world powers that is aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

He referenced recent protests against Iran's ruling clerics, saying "America stands with the people of Iran in their courageous struggle for freedom."

"When the people of Iran rose up against the crimes of their corrupt dictatorship, I did not stay silent," he said.

Trump also said North Korea's "reckless pursuit" of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten the United States.

He said the United States is waging a campaign of “maximum pressure” against North Korea and its nuclear weapons ambitions, and he called Pyongyang a “cruel dictatorship.”

He said rogue regimes, terrorist groups, and rivals that include China and Russia "challenge our interests, our economy, and our values" and must be confronted with "unmatched power."

“In confronting these dangers, we know that weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means of our defense,” he said.

“For this reason, I am asking the Congress to end the dangerous defense sequester and fully fund our great military,” Trump said.

He also announced that he has signed an executive order to keep the high-security U.S. military detention center open at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds of dangerous terrorists, only to meet them again on the battlefield -- including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi," Trump said.

"I just signed an order directing Secretary Mattis to reexamine our military detention policy and to keep open the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay," Trump said.

The executive order reversed a decision by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, to close the controversial facility.

Obama’s 2009 executive order stated the detention center should be closed “as soon as practicable,” but it remains open because of resistance from the U.S. Congress.

Hundreds of detainees from around the world have been transferred from the facility, including many captured by U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan since late 2001, but only 41 detainees currently remain there.

One of the most infamous detainees is the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States – Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

He has been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2006.

Trump's State of the Union address caps a tumultuous first year for him at the White House.

He and his Republican allies passed a major tax overhaul, but his presidency has also been punctuated by an unusual number of high-level staff departures, inter-agency disputes, and backbiting conflicts.

It has also been dogged by FBI and congressional investigations into interactions between Trump associates and Russian officials.

Trump’s approval ratings among Americans have also hovered at record lows during his first year.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-state-of-the- union-guantanamo-bay/29008729.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.