During last week’s State of the Union Address, President Donald J. Trump repeatedly praised the economy and addressed the need for a wall due to the “very dangerous southern border.”

The wall was the most anticipated topic of the speech since President Trump has threatened another government shutdown if no congressional agreement is made. The president has not yet called for a national emergency, but there is a February 15 deadline looming.

The President also addressed the First Step Act law which reduces nonviolent sentences to a more reasonable time. This Act largely helped African-Americans who were a target for getting unreasonable sentences. President Trump invited Matthew Charles, the first person released under the First Step Act,  who was harshly sentenced for drugs. 

The Republican half stood up and cheered while Democrats including Nancy Pelosi remained quiet with disagreement on their faces, however, this was the practice during most of the 82-minute speech, which was the third longest SOTU address ever. 

The Democratic Congresswomen dressed in white in recognition of the 100-year anniversary of women’s suffrage. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stood in stark contrast to their Republican counterparts on the opposite side of the room.

“President Trump slammed ‘ridiculous partisan investigations,’ saying that they could threaten American progress,” wrote the Washington Post.

President Trump also called out Democratic Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, claiming he supports late-term abortions as his speech shifted to womens’ reproductive rights.  Trump said Northam would “execute a baby after birth.” Northam shot down this accusation. As a solution to this “problem,” President Trump urged Congress to pass legislation to “prohibit the late-term abortion of children.”  

Many Wayne Hills students have either watched or read about the address, including Junior Melis Yazar, who said “I think it was cool for the women to wear all white and celebrate amongst themselves.” 

 “I didn’t watch the address, but I heard about how Trump was planning to get rid of abortion and I didn’t like that,” Sophomore Lara Kiblawi also commented.