Sawt Falasteen - Trump vows 'turnaround for the ages' in State of the Union

As he arrived to address a joint session of Congress Trump was welcomed with cheers and a standing ovation from Republicans -- while many Democrats remained firmly seated.

"My fellow Americans, our nation is back bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before," said Trump.

In what promised to be a marathon speech to lawmakers, Trump was trying to sell voters on the achievements of a breakneck and deeply divisive first year back in power.

But the 79-year-old remains deeply unpopular in opinion polls and Republicans fear they could lose their wafer-thin majority in the House to the Democrats -- paralyzing the rest of Trump's second term and exposing him to a possible third impeachment.

Trump however struck a defiant tone in the first official State of the Union of his second term.

"Tonight, after just one year, I can say with dignity and pride that we have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before, and a turnaround for the ages," Trump said.

- 'Confront threats to America' -

On the international front, the man who complained that he did not win last year's Nobel peace prize is now mulling military strikes on Iran over its nuclear program and crackdown on protesters.

"As president, I will make peace wherever I can -- but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must," Trump was to say, according to the excerpts.

His spokeswoman posted a picture of Trump with his Iran negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner shortly before the speech.

The president himself warned on Monday that the first official State of the Union of his second term was "going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about."

Speculation mounted that the speech could be as long as three hours -- far outstripping the hour and 40 minutes that Trump gave in the longest ever speech to lawmakers last year.

But Trump has been battered by a series of blows in the second year of his second term, most recently when the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs at the heart of his economic agenda.

Despite branding the justices "fools and lapdogs" over the tariff ruling, Trump shook hands with them as he entered the chamber of the House of Representatives.

The billionaire has also been rocked by a backlash by the killing of two US citizens in immigration raids in Minneapolis, the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and a new partial government shutdown.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll published on Sunday showed his approval rating at 39 percent. Only 41 percent approved of his handling of the economy overall, and just 32 percent on inflation.

- Democrat boycott -

Democrats were lining up responses including boycotts and silent protests for the address. The New York Times said at least 40 Democrats were set to skip the speech.

The State of the Union speech is mandated by the US Constitution, which says that the president shall "from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union."

Adding to the interest were guests that both Republicans and Democrats brought to watch the address from the gallery, part of a long tradition.

Trump invited the US men's ice hockey team after they won Olympic gold. But the women's team declined Trump's invitation amid controversy over his public joke to the men's team about having to bring the women too.

The president was also inviting Erika Kirk, the widow of assassinated right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

Two Democratic members of the House of Representatives said they were bringing as guests the family members of a victim of disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump has denied any links to sex offender Epstein but the scandal continues to nag at his presidency.

D.AbuRida--SF-PST