Washington, DC – US President Joe Biden has touted his administration’s financial report and sought to differentiate himself from his predecessor Donald Trump, as he delivered his third State of the Union address simply months earlier than a United States presidential election.
Addressing a joint session of Congress on Thursday night, the Democratic president repeatedly hit out at Trump, however didn’t point out his Republican rival by identify.
“My goal tonight is to get up the Congress and alert the American those that that is no atypical second,” Biden mentioned, warning that “freedom and democracy are beneath assault each at residence and abroad”.
Latest polls present Biden and Trump neck-and-neck of their push for the White House, and their looming rematch in November’s presidential election forged a big shadow over Thursday’s State of the Union.
The speech supplied an essential platform for Biden, who continues to face questions over whether or not he’s match sufficient to hunt a second time period, in addition to protests over his staunch backing of Israel regardless of its deadly military offensive within the Gaza Strip.
Listed here are 5 key takeaways from his 2024 State of the Union handle.
US to construct ‘momentary pier’ to spice up Gaza assist
Biden, who has confronted months of fierce criticism for his unwavering support for Israel amid the Gaza warfare, introduced that his administration would construct a “momentary pier” off the coast of the Palestinian territory to facilitate assist deliveries.
The pier will have the ability to “obtain giant shipments carrying meals, water, medication and momentary shelter”, Biden mentioned throughout his speech, with out specifying how lengthy it could take to arrange.
The transfer comes per week after the US air-dropped 36,000 meals to lots of of 1000’s of ravenous individuals in northern Gaza.
However the Biden administration has dominated out conditioning assist or stopping weapon transfers to Israel to stress it to permit extra help into Gaza, stressing that its help for the US ally stays “ironclad”.
Critics of Biden’s stance mentioned the Gaza pier will doubtless fail to alleviate a rising starvation disaster within the territory. Israel has blocked assist deliveries because it continues its navy offensive.
“It appears to be simply one other effort to divert consideration from the true subject right here, which is that 700,000 persons are ravenous from north Gaza down, and Israel will not be permitting humanitarian assist wanted to them,” Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti instructed Al Jazeera forward of Biden’s handle.
Greater than 100 protesters demanding a Gaza ceasefire blocked a highway resulting in the US Capitol forward of the speech on Thursday evening. “What do we wish? Everlasting ceasefire. When do we wish it? Now,” they chanted.
Pledges Ukraine help, touts pro-Israel bona fides
Whereas Biden urged Israel to permit extra assist into the Gaza Strip, he stressed that has been a “lifelong supporter” of the US ally.
“Nobody has a stronger requisition than I do. I problem any of you right here,” he mentioned.
He additionally urged Congress to unblock aid to Ukraine to assist the nation fend off Russia’s invasion. A rising variety of Republican legislators have raised opposition to the excessive price ticket of continued US funding for Kyiv.
“My message to President Putin, who I’ve recognized for a very long time, is easy: We won’t stroll away. We won’t bow down. I can’t bow down,” Biden mentioned.
He additionally hit out at Trump for saying that he would inform Russia “to do regardless of the hell they need” to a NATO nation that doesn’t spend sufficient on defence. “A former president really mentioned that, bowing all the way down to a Russian chief,” Biden mentioned throughout his handle.
“I believe it’s outrageous. It’s harmful and it’s unacceptable.”
Distinction with Republican rival Trump
Biden has lengthy tried to current himself as a bulwark defending American democracy towards Trump and the previous Republican president’s Make America Nice Once more (MAGA) base — and that was a serious theme once more on Thursday evening.
A mob of the Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol in January 2021, in an try to cease Congress from certifying Biden’s 2020 election victory. Trump additionally faces two criminal cases linked to his efforts to overturn the election outcomes.
Throughout his State of the Union handle, Biden took a number of jabs at his Republican rival.
“My predecessor and a few of you right here search to bury the reality about January 6 – I can’t do this,” Biden mentioned. “Right here is the easy reality: You’ll be able to’t love your nation solely whenever you win.”
Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett, reporting from the US Capitol, mentioned Biden talked about Trump not less than 10 occasions all through his speech, referring to him as “my predecessor”.
“It actually was extra of a marketing campaign speech than it was a State of the Union speech,” Halkett mentioned. “It was uncommon for the truth that not solely did [Biden] point out him as soon as, however he continued to say him all through the speech with every subject that was talked about.”
Abortion, reproductive rights
Biden additionally has tried to differentiate himself and his Democratic Social gathering from American conservatives who celebrated a 2022 Supreme Courtroom decision overturning of Roe v Wade. That landmark ruling had enshrined the constitutional proper to abortion within the US for many years.
Republican-led states handed a slew of abortion restrictions and bans after Roe was overturned, spurring outrage. The difficulty resonates with many Democratic voters who’ve continued to name for entry to abortion and reproductive well being care.
On Thursday evening, Biden promised to defend entry to abortion nationwide.
“Should you, the American individuals, ship me a Congress that helps the appropriate to decide on, I’ll restore Roe v Wade because the regulation of the land once more,” he mentioned.
Citing current election victories for Democrats because the proper to abortion was revoked, the US president additionally mentioned the “electoral energy” of girls will assist his celebration win votes once more in November.
He additionally blamed Trump for the autumn of Roe; the Republican president appointed three conservative justices to the Supreme Courtroom who helped overturn the authorized precedent.
Financial system, economic system, economic system
A lot of Biden’s speech centered on home points, a very powerful of which was his administration’s dealing with of the economic system.
The US president mentioned he inherited an economic system “on the brink” in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, however his insurance policies helped revive it. “Now our economic system is actually the envy of the world – 15 million new jobs in simply three years,” he mentioned.
Biden additionally paid a nod to US labour unions and the American center class, whereas stressing that he plans to make sure that companies pay their justifiable share.
“I’m a capitalist. You need to make one million or thousands and thousands of greenbacks? That’s nice. Simply pay your justifiable share in taxes,” he mentioned. “A good tax code is how we make investments to make this nation nice.”