Trump promises strong America

US President Donald Trump declared the "renewal of the American spirit" and pointed to the US role on the world stage in his first address to a joint session of the US Congress on Tuesday.

"Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead," Trump said. "All the nations of the world - friend or foe - will find that America is strong, America is proud and America is free."

Trump reiterated his pledges to create jobs, build a wall along the US-Mexican border, defeat Islamic State and increase military spending, while also laying out new plans for immigration reform. Trump, who has vociferously criticised US immigration policies, called for reforms to implement a "merit-based" immigration system.

"I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation's security and to restore respect for our laws," he said.

Trump said that the current US system of "lower-skilled" legal immigration fails to protect workers and cited systems used in Canada and Australia. He said that a merit-based system will save money, raise wages "and help struggling families - including immigrant families - enter the middle class."

Trump began his remarks by condemning anti-Semitism and racism following a series of attacks in recent weeks, including the shooting of two Indian citizens in Kansas last week and the desecration of several Jewish cemeteries.

"Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centres and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week's shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms," he said.

On the international front, Trump vowed to "extinguish" Islamic State with the help of allies in the Muslim world.

Trump pointed to a review of US strategy against the terrorist group that the Pentagon delivered to the White House this week, but did not indicate any change of course.

"We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet," he said. 

He was also called on NATO allies to fulfil their commitments on defence spending and suggested US willingness to forge new partnerships, a possible hand to Russia for cooperation in Syria and elsewhere.    (dpa)

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