Donald Trump calls for 'new American moment' in first State of the Union: Read excerpts from the US President's speech

President Donald Trump will call for a “new American moment” in Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, as he seeks to rally a deeply divided nation and infuse his presidency with a sense of optimism, for at least one high-profile night. According to excerpts released ahead of the prime-time address, the president will declare that there has “never been a better time to start living the American dream.” He’s calling on lawmakers in both parties to join forces to modernise the nation’s crumbling infrastructure and revamp immigration policies to focus on “the best interests of American workers and American families.” “I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, colour, and creed,” Trump said in the excerpts. The following are the excerpts from Trump’s State of the Union Speech as released by the White House:

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- Together, we are building a SAFE, STRONG, and PROUD America. - We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work; we want every child to be safe in their home at night, and we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love. - Just as I promised the American People from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history. - Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the Middle Class and small businesses. [caption id=“attachment_4328263” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Donald Trump. AP[/caption] - Since we passed tax cuts, roughly 3 million workers have already gotten tax cut bonuses – many of them thousands of dollars per worker. - This is our New American Moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American dream. - Tonight, I want to talk about what kind of future we are going to have, and what kind of nation we are going to be. All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family. - Americans love their country. And they deserve a government that shows them the same love and loyalty in return. - For the last year we have sought to restore the bonds of trust between our citizens and their government. - In our drive to make Washington accountable, we have eliminated more regulations in our first year than any administration in history. - We have ENDED the war on American Energy – and we have ENDED the War on CLEAN COAL. We are now an exporter of energy to the world. - America has also finally turned the page on decades of unfair trade deals that sacrificed our prosperity and shipped away our companies, our jobs and our nation’s wealth. - America is a nation of builders. We built the Empire State Building in just one year – isn’t it a disgrace that it can now take ten years just to get a permit approved for a simple road? - I am asking both parties to come together to give us the safe, fast, reliable, and modern infrastructure our economy needs and our people deserve. - Struggling communities, especially immigrant communities, will also be helped by immigration policies that focus on the best interests of American Workers and American Families. - So tonight I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans, to protect our citizens, of every background, colour, and creed. - As we rebuild America’s strength and confidence at home, we are also restoring our strength and standing abroad. - Last year I pledged that we would work with our allies to extinguish ISIS from the face of the earth. One year later, I’m proud to report that the coalition to defeat ISIS has liberated almost 100 percent of the territory once held by these killers in Iraq and Syria. But there is much more work to be done. We will continue our fight until ISIS is defeated. - Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation. I will not repeat the mistakes of the past Administrations that got us into this dangerous position.