Trump defends first-year record in State of the Union speech amid low approval ratings

President brings in US men’s hockey team as surprise guests to bolster speech before November midterms State of the Union address – live updatesDonald Trump proclaimed his first year in office a success at the State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, even as his presidency is dogged by low public approval ratings before November’s midterm elections in which voters could hand control of Congress back to his Democratic opponents.The annual address to a joint session of Congress came after months of turmoil for the Republican president, including a crackdown on immigrant communities in Minneapolis that resulted in the deaths of two US citizens, and faltering progress on his campaign promise of lowering the cost of living. Continue reading…