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State of the Union: Walls work and save lives, I will get it built, says Donald Trump

Trump appeared in the House chamber just weeks after his demand for $5.7 billion in wall funds triggered a historic 35-day partial government shutdown.

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US President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington
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President Donald Trump told Americans in his State of the Union address on Tuesday that he wants a US immigration system that is "safe, lawful, modern and secure" as he seeks funding for a border wall rejected by Democrats.

"We meet tonight at a moment of unlimited potential," Trump said in the highly anticipated speech before a joint session of the US Congress, with his main Democratic adversary, new House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, watching over his shoulder. "We stand ready to work with you to achieve historic breakthroughs for all Americans."

"We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens," Trump said. "Wealthy politicians and donors push for open borders while living their lives behind walls and gates and guards," he added. 

Highlights of Trump's State of the Union address:

We must keep America first in our hearts. We must keep freedom alive in our souls. And we must always keep faith in America’s destiny -- that one Nation, under God, must be the hope and the promise and the light and the glory among all the nations of the world! With these words, Trump finishes his State of the Union address.

Describing his foreign policy as “principled realism,” Trump says - I have also accelerated our negotiations to reach a political settlement in Afghanistan. Our troops have fought with unmatched valor -- and thanks to their bravery, we are now able to pursue a political solution to this long and bloody conflict.

Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. America was founded on liberty and independence –- not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country: Donald Trump 

If I had not been elected President of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea with potentially millions of people killed. Much work remains to be done, but my relationship with Kim Jong Un is a good one. And Chairman Kim and I will meet again on February 27 and 28 in Vietnam: Trump tells Congress

* Trump calls on Congress “to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother’s womb.”

Trump calls for an extra $500 million to fight childhood cancer over the next ten years

No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than American freedom. In recent years we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach. My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years. We have made incredible strides, incredible. Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond: Donald Trump

Trump urges Congress to give him more freedom to impose tariffs.

Trump praises the increasing role of women in the work force. He highlights the highest number of women in the US Congress. "We also have more women serving in the Congress than ever before."

* Simply put, walls work and walls save lives. So let’s work together, compromise, and reach a deal that will truly make America safe: Donald Trump

* This is a smart, strategic, see-through steel barrier -- not just a simple concrete wall. It will be deployed in the areas identified by border agents as having the greatest need, and as these agents will tell you, where walls go up, illegal crossings go way down: Donald Trump

* In the past, most of the people in this room voted for a wall -- but the proper wall never got built. I will get it built: US President 

We will always support the brave men and women of Law Enforcement -- and I pledge to you tonight that we will never abolish our heroes from ICE: Trump

* I want people to come into our country, in the largest numbers ever, but they have to come in legally: Donald Trump

The US President called for rejecting politics of revenge, resistance and retribution in his annual State of the Union address. 

He warned Democrats against engaging in "ridiculous partisan investigations" that he said could contribute to a weakening of the American economy.

Trump said: "An economic miracle is taking place in the United States and the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations." 

His remarks came as Democrats who now control the US House of Representatives planned a series of probes into the Trump administration and a special prosecutor investigates Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election that Trump won.

The early portion of Trump's speech was aimed at offering to create a spirit of compromise, but whether Trump and his opponents would follow through was far from clear as both sides are entrenched in long-held positions and girding for 2020 elections.

Trump appeared in the House chamber just weeks after his demand for $5.7 billion in wall funds triggered a historic 35-day partial government shutdown that more than half of Americans blamed him for, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.

Millions of Americans were expected to watch the address on television, giving Trump his biggest opportunity to date to explain why he believes a barrier is needed on the U.S. southern border with Mexico. The speech was delayed for a week because of the shutdown, which ended on Jan 25.

(With Reuters inputs)

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