WASHINGTON: Donald Trump pledged a “renewal of the American spirit” Tuesday, as he fleshed out his America-first agenda in a more measured presidential tone during a landmark speech to Congress. Transposing hardline campaign promises into a presidential key, Trump offered the most restrained and detailed explanation yet of his America-first world view. Discussing trade, Trump even enlisted the help of Abraham Lincoln, echoing what the first Republican president described as “protective policy.”“Lincoln was right—and it is time we heeded his words,” Trump said. Trump wants to hike defense spending by $54 billion, offsetting that with cuts in foreign assistance and other non-military spending. On all these issues, Trump offered little detail about how to meet his promises without worsening the country’s nearly $20 trillion national debt.

Source: Manila Times March 01, 2017 09:34 UTC