Six hours ago, President Donald Trump was struggling with his message to Jewish Americans, plagued by a series of threats against Jewish Community Centers.
But as he opened Tuesday night’s speech to the Joint Session of Congress, Trump lead with Black History Month, a strident condemnation of threats to the Jewish Community, and a call for unity among Americans in a particularly difficult time.
Trump spoke out against “hate and evil in all its ugly forms,” noting that at the close of Black History Month, Americans are reminded that “making America great again” is a pursuit that requires the full participation of all segments of society.
Trump called for an “era of unity and strength,” where legislators are open to compromise, largely centering on his agenda. “The time for trivial fights is behind us,” he told the crowd.
Left-leaning Twitter users were noticably shaken, urging fellow protesters and members of “The Resistance” not to fall for Trump’s claims of bipartisanship. Democrats in the audience were reticent to stand for the mention of Black History month.
Trump’s team said, in press releases earlier on Tuesday, that the theme of Trump’s speech would be an overarching unity, and a call to forget angry partisanship in pursuit of solutions.