Trump's State of the Union address

By Sophie Tatum, Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha, Brian Ries and Amanda Wills, CNN

Updated 2:13 p.m. ET, March 5, 2019
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9:42 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

Trump commuted her sentence. Tonight, Alice Johnson is at his State of the Union.

President Trump just highlighted the story of Alice Johnson, one of his 13 guests at tonight's address.

Johnson, a first-time nonviolent drug offender, had her sentence commuted by Trump last June following his Oval Office meeting with Kim Kardashian West.

"In June, I commuted Alice's sentence — when I saw Alice's beautiful family greet her at the prison gates, hugging and kissing and crying and laughing, I knew I did the right thing," Trump said during his speech.

More about Johnson: She had served 21 years of a life sentence after she was convicted on charges of conspiracy to possess cocaine and attempted possession of cocaine, according to the nonprofit organization Can-Do, which advocates for clemency for nonviolent drug offenders.

"Alice, thank you for reminding us that we always have the power to shape our own destiny," Trump said.

Watch:

9:38 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

Trump slams "ridiculous partisan investigations"

In his address, President Trump slammed "ridiculous partisan investigations" and called for an end to "war and investigation."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is seated directly behind Trump and next to Vice President Mike Pence, appeared to shake her head at Trump's mention of investigations.

The Trump administration has been hampered with several investigations, including multiple probes into the 2016 election, and there is an expectation that more oversight investigations will arise now that Democrats hold the majority in the House.

Here's what 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," Trump said. "If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn't work that way. We must be united at home to defeat our adversaries abroad. This new era of cooperation can start with finally confirming the more than 300 highly qualified nominees who are still stuck in the Senate, in some cases years and years waiting, not right. The Senate has failed to act on these nominations, which is unfair to the nominees and very unfair to our country."

Watch the moment here:

9:33 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

Fact check: Behind Trump's claim that the US is the planet's No. 1 producer of oil and natural gas

From CNN's Lydia DePillis

President Trump, speaking in the House chamber tonight, claimed that "We have unleashed a revolution in American Energy – the United States is now the No. 1 producer of oil and natural gas in the world."

Fact-check: This is true, but needs context.  

What you need to know: The US became the world’s largest crude oil producer in August 2018, when it surpassed Russia for the first time since 1999 in terms of total daily crude production, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Earlier in the year, the US surpassed Saudi Arabia's crude oil production for the first time since 1973. It has been the largest producer of natural gas since 2011. 

The rise in US oil and gas production is due in large part to advances in fracking technology that allowed drillers to access reserves socked away in shale formations buried deep underground. Production dipped in 2015 and 2016 as a result of overproduction and a collapse in oil prices, but recovered quickly once supply stabilized and prices increased, just as Trump was coming into office.

The Trump administration often touts its moves to relax Obama-era rules on oil and gas production, such as one restricting the flaring of methane from fracking sites. He has also opened public lands to more drilling. It’s unclear though, given the decade of increased energy production in the US, how much of an impact any of those moves have had.

9:28 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

Trump said the "state of our union is strong." Pelosi didn't clap.

President Trump, in blunt terms, just laid out the state of the union.

"Members of Congress, the state of our union is strong," he said.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, sitting right behind Trump, did not stand to clap. Some Republicans in the House stood and chanted "USA."

"That sounds so good," Trump said. "Our country is vibrant, and our economy is thriving like never before."

Watch:

10:27 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

Trump: "We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution"

President Trump struck a bipartisan tone at the beginning of his State of the Union address.

"We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution — and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good," Trump said.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence both stood to clap after that line.

"Together, we can break decades of political stalemate," he added.

Watch the moment below:

9:19 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

Trump thanks astronaut Buzz Aldrin

Trump acknowledged Buzz Aldrin, who was in attendance on Tuesday night, thanking the Apollo 11 astronaut before saying "this year, American astronauts will go back to space on American rockets."

"In 2019, we also celebrate 50 years since brave young pilots flew a quarter of a million miles through space to plant the American flag on the face of the moon. Half a century later, we are joined by one of the Apollo 11 astronauts who planted that flag, Buzz Aldrin," Trump said.

He continued: "Thank you, Buzz. This year, American astronauts will go back to space on American rockets."

Watch:

9:20 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

Trump appealed for bipartisanship in his State of the Union opening. Nancy Pelosi applauded.

From CNN’s Betsy Klein

President Trump kicked off his State of the Union address with a call for bipartisanship.

“As we begin a new Congress, I stand here ready to work with you to achieve historic breakthroughs for all Americans. Millions of our fellow citizens are watching us now, gathered in this great chamber, hoping that we will govern not as two parties but as one nation. The agenda I will lay out this evening is not a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda. It is the agenda of the American People,” he said.

Trump called for collaboration on jobs, trade, infrastructure, healthcare, immigration, and foreign policy.

“Victory is not winning for our party. Victory is winning for our country,” Trump said.

Many of the Democratic lawmakers dressed in white stood to applaud, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

See the moment here:

9:10 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

President Trump has arrived on the House floor

President Trump arrived at the US Capitol. He shook Speaker Nancy Pelosi's hand before starting his remarks.

See President Trump enter House chamber below:

9:06 p.m. ET, February 5, 2019

First lady Melania Trump takes her seat

First Lady Melania Trump, wearing a black suit, just arrived at the US Capitol for the President's State of the Union address.

Last year, she wore a white pantsuit. Wearing white has become common among female politicians who want to make a statement — in 2017, Democratic women wore white to represent women's suffrage.

"A lot of people saw the white pantsuit she wore last year as a quite signal. You look at all the Democratic women here again and we wondered what she was thinking wearing white," CNN's Kate Bennett explained.

The President's daughter, Tiffany, is dressed in white tonight.

See the first lady's arrival: