Feb. 28 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump is expected to discuss the national defense, his plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and his policies on immigration during his first address before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
Trump will address Congress shortly after 9 p.m. Presidents don't give State of the Union addresses in their first year, but instead often address a joint session of Congress within their first few months in office.
"During his first joint address to Congress, the president will communicate his vision for the future of the country directly to the American people as he moves forward with his plans to take on the many challenges facing this nation," the White House said in a statement. "Building on his inaugural address, President Trump will continue to lay out his agenda to make America great again."
Trump's address to Congress comes as Republicans are attempting to replace the ACA, or Obamacare, and after Trump's administration issued new guidelines for tougher border security and expanded enforcement of immigration laws.
Related
On Monday, Trump's administration proposed a $54 billion increase in defense and security spending.
"We're coming out with a healthcare plan that I think will be terrific. It'll be very inclusive and I think it's going to do really what people are wanting it to do. But I'll be talking about that. I'll be talking about the military. I'll be talking about the border," Trump said of the address to Congress during an interview on Tuesday morning with Fox and Friends.
The White House announced several special guests will be seated alongside first lady Melania Trump during the address. Guests include Maureen McCarthy Scalia, the widow of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and Jamiel Shaw, Sr., the father of a high school football player who was fatally shot by an undocumented immigrant.
