Trump offers private SOTU preview to close allies

State of the Union 2019

The gathering was called to detail the main themes of Tuesday’s speech for roughly 20 Republicans close to the administration.

In the middle of a State of the Union briefing for the White House’s closest allies Monday night, a fired up Donald Trump walked in.

The president appeared eager to give the annual speech Tuesday night in the House of Representatives, an occasion he has always enjoyed given its history and pomp and circumstance, said two people briefed on the meeting. After acknowledging several supporters in the room, Trump went on at length about Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s recent comments about late-term abortions and nonviable babies born with fatal abnormalities, characterizing them as a description of murder.

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The gathering was called so acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney could detail the main themes of Tuesday’s speech to roughly 20 Republicans close to the administration, including former campaign officials like Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie. At the session, Mulvaney outlined the speech’s main themes while reminding attendees the draft was still influx and could change in the hours leading up to the speech.

A hand-out from the meeting obtained by POLITICO said the speech will focus on “choosing greatness” and will zero in the themes of immigration, American workers, healthcare, the rising cost of prescription drugs and national security.

Foreign affairs will also feature prominently in the address, according to two sources briefed on the speech. Trump intends to highlight what he sees as his accomplishments, including the recent uptick in military spending, his push to revise NATO, his ongoing trade negotiations with China and his diplomacy with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, with whom he is expected to meet in late February.

Domestically, the speech is expected to touch on the need for greater infrastructure spending. Trump is likely to mention the expanding 5G wireless network — the next iteration of how cellphones will communicate — as well as additional oil pipelines being built. The administration’s economic record will also receive mention, with Trump likely to cite a low unemployment rate and the White House efforts to roll back and reduce government regulations.

While senior administration officials have insisted in recent days that the speech will call for bipartisanship and unity, the president also intends to use his bully pulpit to tout the differences between the two parties at a time when some Democrats are pulling the party left and calling for higher taxes and a more expansive Medicare program.

“The president will talk about the choice voters have. He is offering solutions, while the opposition, the Democrats, is basically offering socialism,” said one source briefed on the speech.

On Tuesday, Trump will also meet with television anchors at the White House for an off-the-record meeting to preview his speech, according to two White House officials.

Andrew Restuccia contributed reporting.