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Tags: state of the union | address | congress | joint session | critics | review

Trump's Speech Long, 'Spoke to His Base,' But 'Powerful'

Trump's Speech Long, 'Spoke to His Base,' But 'Powerful'
President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union speech Tuesday night. (Win McNamee/AP)

By    |   Tuesday, 30 January 2018 11:52 PM EST

Reviews of President Donald Trump's first State of the Union on Tuesday night were mixed — depending on which side of the aisle was offering an opinion.

Fox News' "The Five" co-host Juan Williams said Trump gave Democrats every "reason to sit on their feet and walk out early" during his address, while "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace called the speech "powerful" and "well-delivered," Philly.com reported.

"I feel like he spoke more to his base than I expected him to, particularly on immigration," NBC News' "Meet The Press" moderator Chuck Todd said, the outlet reported.

The president's speech was among the longest in modern history, running one hour, 21 minutes — about eight minutes shorter than the record held by former President Bill Clinton, who spoke for one hour, 28 minutes during his 2000 speech, according to the American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who sat behind the president in the House of Representatives during the speech, said Trump "has delivered on his promises," and challenged Democrats to work with the Republican administration and Congress.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel gave her own statement of praise, saying Trump's "first year in office has been marked by policies that uplift the American people, strengthen our nation's economy, and keep our communities safe."

"President Trump's speech [Tuesday night] was a home run," she added.

But Meghan McCain called the address "a lot more divisive than I had originally anticipated, but I'm sure conservatives will be very happy [Tuesday night."

Reaction on Twitter was also mixed — breaking along party lines.

Contrarian commentator Ann Coulter also weighed in.

Former KKK leader David Duke liked the speech, enraging some Twitter posters.

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Headline
Depending on which side of the aisle was offering an opinion, reviews of President Donald Trump's first State of the Union on Tuesday night were mixed.
state of the union, address, congress, joint session, critics, review
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2018-52-30
Tuesday, 30 January 2018 11:52 PM
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