State of the Union 2019: 5 things to look out for ahead of Trump's historic address

Falsities, eye rolls and special guests: here's what to keep a lookout for on Tuesday night

If Donald Trump's State of the Union address is at all similar to the speech he delivered to the US Congress last year, Americans can expect more false facts and fresh new controversies on Tuesday night.

This time, however, there is a catch: the Democratic Party has assumed control of the House of Representatives, making its reaction to the president’s upcoming policy proposals and statements more prominent — and powerful — than ever before.

The 2019 State of the Union address was pushed back a week from the originally anticipated date following a federal government shutdown — the longest of its kind in US history — triggered by Mr Trump’s demands $5.7bn towards building a US-Mexico border wall.

Now that the president has been officially invited by lawmakers to address the joint-session of Congress this year, Americans can expect to learn what Mr Trump will do next towards that campaign promise he frequently made in 2016.

Here’s what to look out for in the 2019 State of the Union address.

Facts and false figures

Numerous claims the president made throughout his 2018 State of the Union address were noted as flat-out falsities by fact-checkers covering the speech in real-time.

“Just as I promised the American people from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history,” the president said, despite the GOP legislation actually being the fourth-largest tax bill since 1940.

He also falsely claimed the nation’s immigrant visa lottery system “randomly hands out green cards without any regard for skill, merit, or the safety of American people,” despite requirements surrounding work experience and education to apply for the lottery.

With far more than 6,000 reported falsities the president made in the course of nearly two years, he can almost certainly be expected to at least exaggerate claims in his upcoming speech — particularly surrounding immigration and his battle for a border wall.

What’s next for the border wall

Mr Trump has made several hints he was considering declaring a national emergency at the upcoming State of the Union, telling CBS News in an interview that aired on Sunday, “I don’t take anything off the table”.

The president added that he maintains the “alternative” option to declare a “national emergency,” despite the move likely facing an exhaustive legal battle.

However, he could also walk back his calls for a national emergency — as he did during the 35-day government shutdown — instead urging lawmakers on Tuesday to produce a bipartisan funding bill he could sign into legislation by the end of the three-week deadline.

New lawmakers (and their guests!)

With a new year has come new lawmakers from all walks of life, several of whom often draw national headlines for their responses to actions taken by the Trump administration.

Tuesday night will prove no different, as congressional newcomers plan to highlight Americans impacted by the very policies and agenda Mr Trump will layout during his address.

Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, elected in 2018 as the youngest women to ever serve in Congress, has invited activist Ana Maria Archila, who famously confronted former senator Jeff Flake for his support of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who had been accused of sexual misconduct during his confirmation process to the lifelong seat.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez announced the invitation to her New York constituent on Monday, writing in a tweet, “Ana Maria is the NY14-er who famously jumped into the elevator with Sen. Flake to elevate the stories of survivors everywhere.”

Nancy Pelosi’s real-time reaction

Whereas the president has enjoyed the support of his Republican leadership in past speeches to joint-sessions of Congress, he will now be speaking to lawmakers with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seated squarely behind him.

Ms Pelosi is expected to sit behind the president and across from Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday night, where she will be easily seen by millions of viewers looking on as the president delivers his remarks.

The positioning could very well lead to viral real-time reactions from the California Democrat, who is at odds with Mr Trump on the vast majority of his political agenda.

Still, it isn’t likely Americans will hear the congresswoman shout “Lie!” towards the president, as a Republican did to former President Barack Obama during his 2009 State of the Union address.

Stacey Abrams’ Democratic response

Rather than Ms Pelosi or other Democratic leadership delivering the party’s official response to the president’s address, Americans tuning in on Tuesday night will hear from Stacey Abrams, the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Georgia.

Ms Abrams, who was invited to present the party’s response by Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, has sued her home state over a series of issues surrounding the recent election that she says may have led to a victory for Brian Kemp, the Republican candidate who was overseeing the election as Georgia’s secretary of state.

Ms Abrams has called for fair elections nationwide and lambasted Republican lawmakers for allegedly attempting to suppress votes among minority demographics.