Transcript for White House: Trump’s speech to call for unity, bipartisanship
And we begin right here at the capitol, where a short time from now, the president will address congress and the American people. The state of the union address, put off, on hold weeks ago because of the government shutdown. He will now come to the house chamber right here tonight. The white house revealing today the president’s theme tonight will be unity. But for the first time in his presidency, he will be speaking to a divided congress. Democrats taking back the house. And speaker Nancy Pelosi will be seated right behind him. Will the president reach across the aisle? And what will he demand on the border wall, as another shutdown now looms. Tonight, what we’ve now learned about what he’ll say. ABC’s chief white house correspondent Jonathan Karl. Reporter: On the heels of the longest government shutdown in history, the white house says the president will use his speech tonight to call for unity and bipartisanship. Let’s come together, do what America wants from us. Let’s do our jobs and solve real problems. Reporter: Despite the talk of unity, the president has been lashing out at Democrats, including the new speaker of the house, who will be sitting right behind him tonight. I think she is very bad for our country. Reporter: And democratic leaders have been hitting back. In the past, he’s called for unity and he’s forgotten about it by the next morning. Reporter: In fact, the partisan divide is as deep as ever. Democrats vowing to defy the president on his border wall, the president threatening to defy congress by invoking a national emergency, and another shutdown looming in just ten days if they don’t find some kind of agreement. In a sign the president will hit border security hard tonight, the guests in the first lady’s box include a family of an elderly couple murdered in their home last month by an undocumented immigrant. But the president also intends to tout his work with Democrats on issues like criminal justice reform. He’s invited Alice Johnson, a grandmother he pardoned after she served 22 years for a first offense non-violent drug conviction. The most unconventional guest tonight, 11-year-old Joshua trump, a sixth grader from Delaware who is not related to the president, but says he has been bullied because of his last name. The president and so many lawmakers on both sides who will be bringing guests to the state of the union. Jon across town at the white house tonight. And speaker Pelosi told us she is looking for places to compromise with the president. She mentioned infrastructure, lowering prescription drug prices, but Jon, all eyes are going to be on the president and, of course, speaker Pelosi seated right behind him and what he’s going to say about his demands when it comes to the border wall. Reporter: And David, the big question is whether or not there’s any room for compromise on that issue. It’s hard to see, but there are some signs of some softening of the president’s position on this. I am told that he will not use his speech tonight, or doesn’t plan to use his speech tonight, to declare a national emergency and try to bypass congress that way. I also do not expect him to threaten another shutdown. David? All right, Jon, I’ll be watching with you right here. We hope you’ll stay with ABC news for the president’s state of the union tonight, and of course, the democratic response. I’ll be here with George and the entire powerhouse political team end 9:00 P.M. Eastern, right here on ABC.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
