The Atlantic

What Was the Point of Trump’s Oval Office Address?

In his highly anticipated remarks on Tuesday night, the president didn't offer any new arguments about the border or declare a national emergency.
Source: Carlos Barria / Reuters

A president only gets one chance to make his first Oval Office address—making Donald Trump’s reiteration of familiar talking points in a short speech Tuesday night all the more puzzling.

Over the course of roughly 10 minutes, Trump brought his case for more spending on border security directly to the American people, saying there is “a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our Southern border.” Trump argued that crimes committed by unauthorized immigrants are a serious danger to the American people, and called on Democrats to give him $5.7 billion to fund a wall on the border. But the president

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