liz: we are moments away from fox business' special coverage of president trump's address to congress. that's it for tonight. thanks for joining us. lou dobbs is next, don't go away. lou: good evening. we hear many dignitaries being escorted down the avenue to the capitol. we are overlooking the capitol where the president will be speaking in front of a jnt session.

they say tonight's topics have been influenced by a series of listening sessions president trump has held over his first few weeks in office. two key members of the trump administration, white house counselor kellyanne conway. and we are joined by the secretary of commerce, wilbur ross. we are joined by senate intelligence committee member senator james langford. and form earn army vice chief of staff, general mike keen. also mercy dees schlapp, fred barnes, and many, many more. it's an important night and we'll be taking up many topics.

president trump addressing a joint session of congress. billing it as solving real problems for real people. repeal and replacement of obamacare. tax cuts, job creation, making the workplace better for working parents. fox news learned the president will make a push for quote an immigration bill. where there is compromise on both sides, we don't know any more about that. but we expect to find out much more the president's address tonight. some of the money to pay for a $54 billion increase for the military and defense will come from rising revenues that result from his policies. >> i think the money will come from arrested upconomy. we'll probably gdp a little more than 1%. and if i can get that up to 3 or maybe more, we have a whole

different ballgame. and that's what we are looking to do. lou: joining me to tell was we can expect from the president tonight is kellyanne conway, counselor to the president. thanks for joining us. you all have to be excited about the opportunity to bring the president's voice and message to the people. the message will be under the rubric to renew the american spirit. what can we expect? >> it's a beautiful speech and the president has written and rewritten many passages himself. it begins on an important note and ends and inspires and lifts up the american spirit and the american people. he will go through a list of his accomplishments in these first

few weeks and they are many. we'll go ahead and talk about all the promises kept, apparently a fact that's not lost on many americans. 66% of americans said the president is doing as much or more than they expected. about a third of that said less than they expected. a different poll said 7% said they will take action of some sort. and of those 77 person * by 2-1 they say it will be positive action. people see what he's doing. tea will talk about healthcare, border security, he will talk about our relationships around the globe, education within he will honor some of his special guests who we had occasion to meet today. very powerful pass ands in his overall address. he appeals to the inspiration of america at this critical time in our nation's history.

lou: what this president has done and accomplished since november 8 is remarkable. $3 trillion almost added to the market cap in the stock market. we are looking at a 15-year high, a consumer confidence. we are look at all of these numbers that are so positive and going and precisely the right direction. i have to tell you, just between you and me, i don't understand the nastiness obstructionism of the left in this country in the face of all that is a vote of confidence on the part of investors, consumers and the american people. >> it's unfortunate and it's counter to what the president himself said, beginning on election night i will be the president of all people. he has been working across the

aisle, inviting democratic senators to the white house. reaching out to those who perhaps did not support him. he's hereby to be the president of all people. he doesn't slice and dice them as an electorate. he looks at them as americans who can aspire to their greater good. who want better healthcare and secure borders. the president had a great line in his inaugural address where he said we spent billions on other nations helping them to protect their borders and sovereignty. people will hear about our place in the world tonight. they will hear from a leader who is generally interested in going across the aisle and finding ways to work together. maybe there are democrats interested in infrastructure. and there are democrats excited about a better healthcare system

that provides a higher quality for those left behind. lou: the house has been repealing obamacare or some component much it over 60 times the last few years. now he's reticent to repeal obamacare. there seems to be a gulf between the house leadership, specifically speaker ryan, and the administration on this issue. betsy mccoy, former lieutenant governor of the state of new york, one of the country's foremost experts on obamacare saying if speaker ryan cannot move the president's agenda on obamacare he should resign and move way to a leader who can execute and implement the president's agenda. >> president trump has been praising of speaker ryan and his efforts along with lead per mcconnell to work together to get meaningful health reform.

and that includes tom price. i work with him very closely. he and his team are doing a great job on the substance of policy, and on communications. they recognize americans need to be remind of what hasn't worked. you have health insurers who have pulled out of the system all together. one said obamacare is in a death spiral. there are some areas in the country that has one provider only. so the white house is working closely with the entire healthcare team. you can't do many of the things the president wants to do until you get healthcare done. so that is a very -- lou: making it more important that ryan move on the appeal as quickly as possible to allow the president to meet the demands he

put on himself through his promises. i'll bring up a picture that you won't like. you were taking a picture in the oval office. before i ask you a question. i want to put it in context. and i would like to show other pictures, if we may. we have pictures of president trump on the resolute desk and we have pictures of him on the same couch as you with his feet up, and it goes on and on. yet you are -- the image of you today went viral. >> i heard they did. i snow there are couple of reports at least showing what happened. what happened is we had the largest gathering of men and

women to date for a picture in the black colleges and universities. they came to visit the white house. just today the president signed the executive order and i had an occasion to speak at length with many of those leaders and i want to thank so many of them coming to my defense. they were in the room and they now was asked to take a picture from a certain angle with a crowded room with the press behind me. i didn't mean any disrespect. lou: don't you find it interesting with the pictures of president trump, the deplorable, if you will, hip right i. >> it bothers my children. i have 24/7 secret service protection because there are people who wish us harm. i'm not a victim at all. but people should take seriously the import. their words.

but if we started a trend where people are talking about greater respect for the office of the president and its current occupant, that's something positive. i was being asked to take different angles. i was not check my phone but texting the pictures to the people that asked me to. i just want people to focus on the great work of the president. lou: the president signing that executive order today for those historic black universities and colleges and moving them to a direct access to the trump white house will go ng way towards doing that. congratulations on that and all you do for this president and this country. kellyanne conway, always great

to talk to you. all the best, thank you. president trump set to address congress for the first time later this evening. the theme, the renewal of the american spirit. >> all i can do is speak from the heart and say what i want to do. we have a really terrific, i believe healthcare plan coming out. i'll be talking about that, i'll be talking about the military and i'll be talking about the border. lou: charlie hurt and mercedes schlapp join me next. as after a dvt blood clot,ital i sure had a lot to think about. what about the people i care about? ...including this little girl. and what if this happened again? i was given warfarin in the hospital,

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lou: this is what the president said earlier today about the obamacare replacement. listen to the montana. >> we have a really terrific i believe healthcare plan coming out. it will be very inclusive and i think it will do what people want it to do. i think congress is taking a lot of blame, but it's not there for them. i have upon been here for four

weeks. lou: joining me, mercedes schlapp and charlie hurt. thank you both for being here. a quick preview from the president on fox and friends. but we are hearing from the speaker that he can't do anything about repealing obamacare because it's so complex. are we watching a dog and donkey show from the speaker here? >> how. the donkey and elephant? lou: whatever you wish it may not be funny if he continues to create an obstacle for the president's agenda. >> for years republicans have had this opportunity to organize and figure out what they are going to put into repeal and replace obamacare plan. lou: 60 votes on obamacare or

its components. >> all those times they put that vote out there, was that just a sham because they might would be vetoed by the president? was this just showmanship? the people that deserve a lot of blame. this thing with chuck schumer and nancy pelosi saying once republicans finds out what's in it they won't like the. the only reason democrats got itthrough is because nobody rated. they didn't let anybody read it. lou: at believe the none of the republicans voted for the thing. >> the one who did got thrown out of office in the next election. >> they can't figure out if it's going to be tax credits or --

leadership divide with the supreme caucus. lou: who is speaker ryan taking his orders from? if it's not president or his conference, who is he take orders from? >> tef came up with the better way plan, remember, lou? lou: i think somebody read it to him. you are kidding me. we are talking about a speaker were an agenda that he thinks is bigger than the united states. the only reason the republicans control both houses of congress. >> they are makingrgument they are taking parts of what congressman tom price pushed forward in terms of his legislation in expanding health savings accounts. lou: this process is not going to play again. this is the nonsense we have heard from the republicans ever since they took control of both bodies. >> donald trump won by beating

democrats and republicans before that. i think we'll seethe offing salvo, the president beginning the negotiations. the fact that he is negotiating. as frustrating these republicans are, i would much rather he be negotiating with republicans than democrats. >> i think he will send a stern message the republicans have to unite. lou: what if there is such a thing as terminal stupidity? not only democrats, but some republicans in leadership are so diseased. see you want to you run for congress. lou: why would you be so mean to me. i thought we were pals. >> we are. i will go on the hill and visit you there. lou: we expect you to take over

the show and will be delighted when you do. lou: the president is suggesting he will bring up immigration and immigration legislation that will require compromise. what do you make of it? >> from the beginning, donald trump is not a doctrinaire conservative. he's a pragmatist. he would signal he's going to negotiate. but it doesn't surprise me at the end of the day. i always suspected, and truthfully i suspected going back 15 years that if democrats would agree to sealing the border, if the future problem of illegal immigration. other problems get solved. lou: in 2007, it was mandatory

that they put up a wall it's hard to talk about sincerity that's insincere. >> remember who will be up in the stands tonight. families of those who lost loved ones. i think it's to the too surprising that he will move forward on immigration reform. lou: maybe he's -- he takes it as a fair negotiation an took it up with himself. >> i think it will be interesting. lou: charlie hurt and mercedes slap, thank you for being with us. president trump saying his administration has an idea who is behind the leaks. >> we have people from other

campaigns. we have people from other governments. we have a lot of people here. lou: the bush administration department of justice official warning the leaks are a threat to national security. we are coming to you live from the nation's capital. we'll be right back. grandpa! grandpa! thanks, mom.

lou: as if there was not enough drama in the nation's capital tonight. the former british spy behind the claims of a dossier between russia and the president. christopher steel reached a deal

with the f.b.i. weeks before the election. he was not paid. we don't know why. his claim strongly denied by the president and the administration and discounted by all the agencies involved. joining me now, the attorney general under president george w. bush, good to have you with us. there is something beyond strange in this town. the f.b.i. was going to pay this former member who was doing his work for opposition to the opposition in a republican primary to president trump, and how do we get to this point? this is madness. >> it's extraordinary. i don't know if it's more james bond or keystone the cops or a mix of the two. the f.b.i. puts a lot of folks on their payroll, including some unsavory folks.

the fact that they were prepared to pay him. form mi6, former british intelligence. he was apparently doing work for people on the clinton campaign then he segues on to the f.b.i. payroll. lou: isn't it interesting that the "post" secured this knowledge to share with the american public? on it face, it's farce. >> the timing is interesting. it's not last leak we have seen and i suspect we'll see this drip, drip, drip of revelations as the months go forward. lou: sean spicer going after the leakers.

the president saying maybe wouldn't have gone by the the way sean spicer has, but he wants the leaks found out and he wants everybody to understand it goes beyond the white house. they have got to find these leaks and the fact they can't has got to be more than perplexing. >> it's maddening and frustrating for those in the white house. you are trying to push your story out there and it's constantly being interrupted by this flow of leaks. come in we may see this abate a little bit. lou: the very thought that they have not removed all of the obama hangovers from every agency and every department,

it's unlikely they will be able to control those leaks until they do supplant them with their own trump people. >> i think that's right. it will take time. one thing they can do is try to find ways to channel dissent. you want to give them a chance to feel their views are honored and valued. so they won't think i have to threect "new york times." lou: perhaps i am a bit less complex. if i'm running i want to be able to trust my colleagues. are you excited about the speech tonight? >> i am. i'm look forward to what the president has to say. he's good at the give and take and the jousting. tonight is his opportunity to

show he can be reaganesque. lou: so far not particularly elevated. >> the question is whether they are going to listen to the speech in a respectful way. you have got a crowd out there that's a persist and resist crowd. lou: it will be fascinating and the consequences even more so. tom dupree, thank you. the president keeping up his furious pace today, signing bills and executive actions ahead of the big speech tonight. >> there are those saying that i have done just about more than anybody if you add the tax cuts that we are going to be doing as soon as we finish healthcare. i think i have done just about more than anybody in the first four weeks. lou: indeed he has. ed rollins and michael goodwin

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lou: veteran of 10 presidential

campaigns, leading republican strategist ed rollins, and michael goodwin. thank you for being with us this evening. an historic evening. ed, the president putting forward the idea that he's going to talk about an immigration bill as well as a number of his agenda items. an immigration bill that will require compromise from both side. your reaction to that piece of news about what the president will address? >> i hope he understands how complicated this issue is. i don't need to remind you we have had a republican president with a republican congress who couldn't get an immigration bill through. a democratic president with a democratic congress couldn't get an immigration through. it's complicated. my sense is if healthcare is difficult, he will find

immigration reform is even more difficult. lou: michael, your reaction to the president dealing with what he calls an immigration bill. >> it sounds like it will be a long speech. i am with ed. i think the plate is pretty full already. as you were talking about earlier about getting thing through congress. the process in congress, the slowness of it all looks to be a major hindrance to delivering on an agenda that would have an immediate impact on the economy. adding one more complicated piece in which there is no consensus in this country could break the camel's back. lou: the president himself is an emblem of the insistence there be first a priori, a wall.

and and border established because administration after administration has been played for fools, particularly by the left on this issue, and never do we see immigration in control. this is a dangerous proposition, isn't it, ed? >> this is a very complicated issue. i think he's on the way to building a wall. homeland security is geared up for it. if you add another caveat, remember he beat some people up in the primary for situation he's alluding to tonight. i would not lay this out as a surprise. i would work this carefully and when i bring it to the forefront i want to make sure i have my support. he will antagonize his

supporters by any mention of this. lou: at this time we are looking at a president who cannot even get the leadership of the house and senate to line up on the propositions that are most important, given his campaign, and his agenda, that is, namely, tax cuts and the repeal of obamacare and ultimately its replacement as well as border security. this is a tricky proposition for the president. >> el al kate 54 million to defense. and that's got to be complicated, too. he's got problems in both parties now. this will be a real test of president trump's ability to negotiate and lead. if somebody doesn't put their foot down on the house and say

you guys have to come to jesus, we have to get some things done for the their can people quickly, we see what happens in congress. there is a reason why most of the people in america were upset with government. largely it was about congress in both parties. if the republican congress gets too comfortable because there is a republican president and doesn't file has to deliver things quickly and substantively, then president trump will have to weigh in forcefully and say this is it our soon he will be running against congress. lou: we have seen the republican study group as well as the freedom caucus. they are very upset about the way the administration is playing off the repeal of obamacare and the shapeless

ethereal nature of what congress is proposing. the senate is saying they will accept tbhoofn they have heard from the house leadership. this is getting complicated in a hurry. this tonight is not on the president's first speech to a joint session of congress. it's going to be a test of his political acumen and adroitness. it's becoming a dicey proposition. >> it many the first step into the shark pit. you have got to do executive orders. >> now he has to lay out what the congress wants him to do. >> when you talk about draining the swamp, congress is the swamp. and he has to wade into it and this is the beginning of a new phase.

lou: up next, growing concerns over whether democrats will disrupt the president's speech during his talk before the joint session of congress and whether republicans want to know what they are really up against. and if they do, here is dnc chair tom perez. >> where were you when donald trump and republicans from the far right were targeting latino community and threatening to turn back the clock of history and progress? i feel frequently today like we should be setting our clocks back to jim crow and setting our clocks back to the mid 19th century because this is a know nothing era in our nation's history. fear was able to defeat hope on the ballot. lou: leading fear morning, tom perez, can you believe what you just heard? we are live from washington,

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lou around want to talk voter fraud? president trump wants an investigation. in ohio one under way. ohio secretary of state has found voter fraud in his state. his office identified 385 non-citizens on the voter roles last year. of those, 82 alleged to have voted illegally and he says they will be referred to prosecutors for possible felony prosecution and that investigation is just beginning. joining us now, senior editor at "the federal lift," and tony sayegh. what do you make of the president's surprise announcement. he says emreach out and renew the american spirit.

>> those are good messages. in his inauguration address he said he would make people very unhappy. i want to hear more of that making people unhappy in congress. lou: he's here as a disrupter and he's talking like a statesman. it's too soon, isn't it? >> i think it's wise to set this type of tone. while not compromise on the sum and substance what he was elected to do. lou: he says he's going to come premice on immigration. >> i think what he's doing is setting the policy, and that's what you get when you are prepared as has been to indicate's ready -- lou: you have to be patient with your posturing here.

>> there is something about this that only nixon can go to china and only donald trump can do this compromise. he didn't do this argument by everything up everything he wanted to have. there is room for him to make diplomat figure measures here. >> part of dictating the deals is trying to make sure your position is known. that's what he does. then by bringing people to the table you can achieve some sort of finality. i think this is true trump. true to form, that he has the ability to change the tempo, and that's how he gets results. >> i think he's going to be in all likelihood one of e country's history's greatest presidents. the difficulty here is he's you have against something no president faced before, an obstructionist democratic party,

not a loyal off significance. we are talking about subject version on the part of the democrats. we learned tonight -- imagine this, folks. the former attorney general eric holder announcing trump is ready to role to lead the democratic party in object sphruks of after siting president. to me this is very near a line of receive digs. he's facing a lot of open -- a line of sedition. >> the trump administration has shown an awareness of how much of a problem media hostility is. lou: when we say national left-wing media, our viewers understand that that means the globalists elitist corporations

own the left-wing national media. this is about corporate tour, corporatists. >> the elite left-wing media not the main stream media. the democratic party is purely personal in their hatred of donald trump. it's not even the policies. they are talking about boycotts at inauguration and here tonight. lou: do you think we'll see a disruption tonight? >> i don't know. it will be interesting. it seems the left hasn't offered much other than disruption and protests. >> you have a congressman bringing a pakistani doctor who is an american citizen who

highlight donald trump's immigration order. under president trump's order an american citizen cities not subject to the order. lou: and any legal resident. >> they bring in people in violation of immigration law it reminds people of how they are able to flout the law. lou: the new leader of the democratic party accusing this administration and the republican party of being jim crow, pushing us back to the 1860s. in point of fact tom perez looked for all the world like the leading know nothing this country. tie would remind chairman perez

there was not one republican jim crow governor. they were l democrats. this is the failed rheric that led to the democrats' defeat. people don't think name calling you fies as a policy position or a message. that's why they are doomed fail if they continue down this road. >> it's why keith ellison may have been a better choice for the democrats to make. lou: keith he will signs only aheartbeat away from being the leader of the democratic party as tom perez' vice chairman. thank you so much. mount etna putting on a stunning display in sicily. the highest volcano erupting.

shorts say this pose no immediate danger to people. it has proven to be a spectacular sight, if not a frightening one. trump belongs upon mount rushmore, that according to a fan of lou dobbs. and i couldn't agree more. i, too, am a president trump fan. i like watching dobbs. he gets me so excited about trump, i'm hoping to see president trump's face on mount rush more next to teddy roosevelt. howie: these are early days. we'll see. but for right now we'll contemplate up there on mount rushmore, president trump. up next, obstructionist

democrats confirming trump's cabinet secretaries at the slowest pace in 30 years. wilbur ross the tenth cabinet secretary sworn in today. >> perhaps building america up again may become a bipartisan thing. lou: a great american, the new commerce secretary wilbur ross. we are live in washington, d.c. on the occasion of the president's first speech to the joint session of congress. we'll be right back.

: :

. lou: president trump today reaffirmed that he will not touch social security, even though speaker paul ryan insists something, something needs to be done in terms of long-term entitlement reform. ryan today earlier said this -- joining me now, attorney, political analyst gayle

trotter, and chief political correspondent with the washington examiner byron york. and my god, ryan trying to sound more like an emperor than a speaker. i don't know how trump has a great sense of humor, the president i would think would be tested by that kind of a remark. >> oh, he should, paul ryan talks about how donald trump had great campaign promises that he's trying to fulfill them, and ryan has the tact ralical experience on the hill to make the promises be fulfilled and going in the opposite direction. he should be focused on like bannon said being maniacally focused on fulfilling campaign promises. lou: he is laughing at me. >> the opponents are saying we're going to destroy him, and so-called friends are saying we're going to wear him down. that's the difference here. one of the things that's a danger, and there's a lot of them.

he gets the idea he will do everything. we'll do tax reform, and then we'll do immigration reform, and we'll do entitlement reform. we'll do all this sort of stuff. we don't do all that stuff. lou: to his credit, he hasn't said entitlement reform at all. >> except for obamacare, that's our biggest entitlement. lou: if you want to include that. but you know, i don't know that he's wrong, and the reason he's here is the american people want a disruptive force to walk in there and address the joint session of congress and tell them to cut the nonsense and get to work and do the people's business. and instead, you know, we're hearing about how long the session should last. we're hearing july, maybe march of 2018, this is nonsense. the reaction from these swathful senate and house leaders.

>> the american people are getting impatient, they wanted this reform. they wanted to have these people in this capitol building hear them, and so everyone is eagerly anticipating what president trump is going to tell them, because they haven't been listening to the american people. lou: are you still laughing at gayle and me? >> not at you, i'm laughing at situation. >> but at me. >> i think the big thing is, you pick something and you do it, and you pick something else, and do you it. i do think that the senior trump can actually show results for the american people, and i think the sooner he can relate whatever that result is to jobs, jobs, jobs, the better off he'll be. lou: i think that i have to say in context, the president of the united states has talked jobs, jobs, jobs from the moment he was elected and did not wait even to be sworn into office. he has focused maniacally on the issues before him. he is working. he is driving ahead his agenda,

and i think at some point, this president who is in and of himself, a force of nature, is going to drag these reluctant obstructionists along with him. they can even get scrapes and bruises along the way or do so as partners, it will be interesting to see what course they choose. >> most of them want to be told what to do. they want somebody to lead. lou: you know what? they're very lucky that they have such a fellow in the white house, then. byron, thank you so much. appreciate it. >> thank you. lou: thanks so much, gayle. billionaire investor wilbur ross sworn in as u.s. commerce secretary. vice president mike pence swearing him in. 72-27, a bipartisan vote. how about that? including support from 20 democrats. here to talk about the role he'll play in pursuing the

president's plan to slash trade deficits and bring manufacturing back to america, the newly sworn in commerce secretary wilbur ross, and i get to say secretary ross, it is great to see you, congratulations and thanks for being with us tonight. >> thank you, lou. lou: let's turn to the speech tonight. this is a president who is going to apparently offer an aspirational address, restoring and renewing the american spirit and adding another element to the discussion which is an immigration bill that we're led to believe will require compromise on both sides. your thoughts about priorities and where we're headed? >> well, you were right in what you said before that a, number one, b number two, c number

three, priority is our jobs. and part of the reason we're opening the nafta discussions because that's one of the ingredients to getting jobs done. so there will be regulatory reform, so will be tax reform, so will be getting rid of a lot of the burdens that came from obamacare. those are huge, huge things to help american jobs. lou: repealing obamacare, which seems to be a condition p precedent in the minds of speaker ryan and mitch mcconnell, the majority leader. do you have any reason to have confidence that ryan will move the repeal of obamacare forthwith that is something akin to the timetable of the preside president, which would be mid to late march? >> well, i think the important hard part about obamacare is

not getting rid of it. everybody wants to get rid of it. the tricky question is with what do you replace it? and there i think you need a national system for the insurance so that people really do have choices. premiums have gone way up and yet in many states there's only one insurance carrier, so the poor american has no bargaining power. lou: and, of course, in terms of the components of what is obamacare, there is the health care providers. there are the health care insurers, and, of course, the consumers, the patients, and we are looking at now the highest premiums that were even imaginable in prospect just a few years ago, they are taking place and suffocating the program in 2017. health care providers are withdrawing from obamacare.

insurance companies are withdrawing from obamacare. leaving the consumers, the patients, the people who depend upon it for their health care are getting short shrifted and for some reason, after seven years, in poll after poll, by fake news organizations i think it would be fair to say, that people have never been happier than this with obamacare. it makes no sense, does it? >> well, i think it's because they're a little bit frightened wondering what will replace it, because what people want is at least to keep what benefits they had and get it at somewhat lower costs, and because there's uncertainty for the moment about what the replacement will be, i think that's what people are a little bit worried. lou: i know that you have been working very hard on tax

reform, tax cuts. are you -- is it your judgment tonight, is it the president's judgment, that tax cuts, tax reform can't occur until obamacare is replaced and replaced? >> well, one of the things important about getting rid of obamacare is the baggage, the economic baggage that comes with it, not just for the consumer, but also for the federal government. so it's an important stepping-stone toward correcting a lot of the ills because really the right way to grow out of deficits is like accelerating economic progress. under president obama, there wasn't a single year where our gdp growth exceeded 3% than the last year it was not even up to anything like 2%. it was not acceptable.

lou: and, of course, the $54 billion increase that the president apparently will talk about tonight in military and defense spending, which would be 10% in terms of increase in the spending, a slighter larger percentage of outlays. there's been a suggestion that it will be paid for by greater economic growth, spurred by the trump policies, economic policies, but, of course, economic growth a long-term response not short-term response whereas the omd corrector mick mulvaney said that there would be an offsfret other programs. could you sort that out for us? give us your sense how that will play? >> well, i think there will be some really budget stringency on the discretionary, nondefense part of the budget. i don't think there's much question about that, but the

budget itself won't really be put forward for another couple of weeks. so at that point in time, we'll know the real details of it, but i do believe that the massive tax cuts, particularly corporate, will be very quickly stimulative. i don't think it will just -- it will take a very long time. i think you'll see the results very, very soon. lou: well, there's no one in whom i would have greater confidence in a projection, whether it is on tax cuts and impact or economic growth than wilbur ross. wilbur, i'm very proud of you, and i'm delighted to be able to call you mr. secretary, and i think the nation is grateful certainly as well. i wish you all the best of luck. >> well, thank you, lou. lou: good to see you. >> thank you very much. lou: thanks for being with us. up next, president trump fulfilling his campaign promises vowing to upgrade our military substantially, with a boost in spending.

>> we're going to spend a lot more money on military. we really have to. we have no choice. and a lot of people think it's a tremendous amount of money, it could be actually $30 million, $30 billion more than that. lou: general jack keane joins us here next. we're coming to you live from our nation's capitol ahead of the president's address to the joint session of congress tonight. we'll be right back with general jack keane. earning your cash back shouldn't be this complicated. yet some cards limit where you earn bonus cash back to a few places. and then, change those places every few months. enough with that! (echo) with quicksilver from capital one you've always earned unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, everywhere. welcome to unlimited. what's in your wallet?

. lou: russia and china today blocked a bid by western powers to impose sanctions against syria over alleged use of chemical weapons. this was the seventh time that russia has vetoed a security council resolution that targeted syria and the sixth time that china has done the same. joining us tonight, fox news military analyst, general jack keane. general, great to have you here. this is quite a statement. both china and russia vetoing the resolution that the united states decided to step in and sponsor led by the british. the clear implication.

>> well, syria has become russia's strategic asset. they are going to use the alliance to influence the region. they're doing arms deals with every sunni arab state in the region. they are trying to replace the united states as the number one influential country from outside the region, and they're doing a very good job of it, frankly, lou. lou:nd the trump administration response. it is going to be very difficult if there is too much of a in joining against the russian inroads in the middle east and restoring u.s. precedence there. >> yeah, couple things they've got to do, he's already said it. one is let's deal comprehensively with isis, take the territory away from them, destroy caliphate, the operations, take the money and

deal with the expansions. secondly, they have begun, this push back on iranians who are ally of the russians who want to dominate control of the middle east, and that behavior of the iranians, we're just seeing the beginning of it. they're not going to stop. lou: and this military of ours is -- even though it's the world's finest is depleted, resources in manpower, weaponry and technology. and $54 billion, which is what the president proposed is a huge 10% increase in spending. but we all know, this is just the first installment, far larger dollar amount has to be invested to secure the nation. >> that's absolutely true. we have been in such long decline financially, the amount of money we need, i agree with senator mccain, $91 billion for

fiscal year 2018 which is what the budget is about. president trump said on fox possibly another 30 billion in addition to the 54. that's aood step, but we need to stay with this investment. it took four good years of reagan investment to really turn the united states military around from the carter years. it's going to take at least that to turn this around. lou: the prospect in front of ronald reagan was of course the soviet union. he made the commitment, and many people were outraged and anxious about the impact on the economy, creating the largest national debt in our country's history at that point, the largest budget deficit in the country's history at that point, and the payoff was clear with the fall of the soviet union and markist leninism. is it reasonable to expect anything like a quick resolution of isis and the defeat of isis?

>> in terms of reclaiming the territory, that's possible. the territory in iraq, the territory in syria, should have reclaimed it by now, to be frank about it. we can get after that. in terms of how it spread, in terms of the other 30+ countries, that's going to take cooperation with allies and take cooperation of taking their finances away. that will take a longer period of time. the military capabilities of the budget is going to resonate with the three adversarial countries trampling on our u.s. interests. that's russia, china and iranians, they will pay attention to the capabilities that they increase, and the second thing, and the only way you have a credible deterrent, not only the capability, but you have to have the willingness to use it. that has not been the case the last eight years, and i believe president trump will convince them, though he doesn't want to use it, he will use it if you force my hand, and that is the way you avoid conflict, then you have a credible deterrent. lou: general jack keane, good

to have you with us. >> good talking to you, lou. lou: on wall street, stocks snapped a record-breaking streak, 12 straighrecord-high closes. the dow fell 25 points. the s&p down 6. the nasdaq down 36 points. volume on the big board, 4.1 billion shares. stock closing out february with strong gains. the dow up nearly 5% over the past month, the s&p and nasdaq posting monthly gains of nearly 4%. more good news for the economy today. consumer confidence as of today is at a 15-year high. home prices hitting the highest level in 2 1/2 years, and almost $3 trillion in market cap added to the stock market since november 8th. a reminder to listen to my reports three times a day coast-to-coast on the salem radio network. up next, a growing divide among republicans over plans to repeal and replace obamacare.

>> on the health care issue, the goal is for the administration, the house and the senate, to be in the same place. we're not there yet. lou: senator james lankford will join me next to tell me where we're at, and we're live coming from our nation's capitol less than two hours before president trump addresses this joint session of congress. stay with us, we're coming back with much, much more. and can you explain to me why you recommend synthetic over cedar? "super food"? is that a real thing? it's a great school, but is it the right the one for her? is this really any better than the one you got last year? if we consolidate suppliers what's the savings there? so should we go with the 467 horsepower? or is a 423 enough? good question. you ask a lot of good questions... i think we should move you into our new fund. ok. sure. but are you asking enough about how your wealth is managed? wealth management, at charles schwab.

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. lou: president trump set to address the joint session of congress shortly. the president earlier today made it perfectly clear who he believes is responsible for those recent white house leaks. >> no, i think that president obama's behind it. his people are certainly behind

it, and some of the leaks possibly come from that group. you know, some of the leaks which are very serious leaks because they're very bad. lou: joining me now, member of both the intelligence and homeland security committees. senator james lankford. senator, great to have you with us tonight. >> great to be with you, lou. lou: this is some night. i personally am expecting a stem winder from the president. how about you? >> we're waiting to see it. we understand the tone he's going to bring out is a tone of reconciliation for the nation and a tone to reach out to all people and firmly set the agenda. we'll see what it is. we know he's capable of writing and reading a speech, and ad-libbing during a speech. we'll see what he looks like. lou: as you talk about the president and what he's capable of, he's also capable of showing republicans how to win election. he did it on november 8th, and where some people were talking

about losing control of the senate with this president being successful on november 8th, it's clear his coattails did spread to a lot of the country. this is a president also who is meeting so much resistance and obstruction within his own party that some of them are beginning to look like they should be with the other folks in the not-so-loyal opposition, and the opposition is having its way on a number of issues. are we going to see the republican party in the senate and in the house fall in line behind this president's agenda, and it is his agenda, not the better way nonsense and the house, ryan, that carried the day? i mean it's really breathtaking to watch. >> so what we'll watch and see is the agenda laid out. right now it's early in the presidency. the president has laid out a lot of different set of ideas and white paper-type notes to

say i want to go in this direction. key is to find a policy proposal for everybody to work together and get it done. the president represents the entire country each of us represented represent our state. we don't work for the president. we work for the people and work together to solve the problems. i don't have any question that the president, when he brings forward ideas, we'll work together to be able to solve those ideas because we share so much common ground, we'll be able to get it done. right now getting the proposal done, that's the big issue. lou: as you say, you don't work for the president, but the inverse corollary doesn't supply, sometime the senate works against it. there has to be a tempering, i believe, of some of the expectations and ambitions of some of the leadership, would you not agree? >> i would agree. this is something we've got to work together. a poll today said 73% of the people think the parties need to work together to be able to work with the president, to

resolve the national issues. couldn't agree more. we have issues of deficit, national defense, national security issues, regulatory growth, all, we need to deal with as a nation. no reason we shouldn't be able to work together to resolve those things, especially the issue with the big republican majority in the house, a small republican majority but a majority in the senate and a republican president. lou: and today, dan coats, former senator dan coats on the hill for your committee, how did he do? how does it look for his confirmation? your thoughts? >> i don't think dan coats is going to have any issue to be the director of nation intelligence. great respect among the republicans and democrats alike, seemed as a fair minded conservative person. i think he'll step into the role and have the role of

coordinating 17 intelligence agencies in the next couple of weeks. looks like we have bipartisan agreement, keep it going with good conservative leaders in the future, we hope. lou: and senator, the leaks that have been in this administration, the president thinks they are obama administration holdovers principally. your thoughts about the importance of shutting down those leaks to preserve national security? afraid those things will get into the media. individual sources and methods we typically used can't be shared and opened up. it does affect national security every time there's a

leak, and it's clear the leaks the targeted to hurt president trump. clear these are individuals within the entity, whether it's the old white house, because most of the issues were raised during the old white house period or the transition time. we don't know who yet or where they came from. we have to address it. it's not only a criminal act but an issue where it hurts us long term. lou: senator, thanks for being with us, we appreciate it, and we hope you enjoy the address and it meets your expectations. senator james lankford who is, i think, certainly among the most capable of senators on capitol hill. >> hope you get in a spot where you don't get arrested. all i can hear is sirens around you all the time. hope you are secure. lou: it's all the big shots going to the joint session to hear the president. they are flying by here. senator, great to have you with us. >> thanks, lou. lou: he's back. former president obama.

eric holder, his attorney general, saying mr. obama is ready to roll. what does that mean? i mean, are we talking about the loyal opposition? are we talking about something far more sinister? we'll take up the daunting prospects with the executive editor of the weekly standard, fred barnes. he's used to dealing with daunting prospects, maybe a national expert on the challenge. we're coming right back. stay with us.

. lou: president trump set to speak to a joint session of congress in just a little over an hour. he's expected to talk as well tonight about immigration reform. apparently, a late add to the issues that he'll be discussing, and it will be reflected with some of his invited guests which include jessica davis and susan oliver, killed by illegal immigrant. and jamiel shaw, the student killed by illegal immigrant. president trump also inviting the widow of justice scalia, maureen scalia will be joining him on the first speech of the president to the joint session of congress. obviously the expectations

running high. joining me now, executive editor of the weekly standard, fred barnes, good to see you on this auspicious occasion. your expectations tonight of the new president? >> i think it's going to be a different speech than we've heard before. i don't think he's going to give a campaign speech like he's given so many of, because he's got things to do tonight. he wants to sell his agenda, and i think we're going to hear a lot about it, i really didn't think immigration reform was going to be part of it, but you ow, he'she president. hean say whatever he wants. lou: and he is quite a president he is proving to be, i don't think we should neglect what he's already accomplished. >> even today. lou: today, two executive orders. >> but the waters of the u.s. onef the big one. it really does. incredible overreach by epa to take over the pond in your backyard or the water in the ditch, in your neighbor's yard.

taking over huge chunks of the country and regulating them by bureaucrats in town. lou: and the epa will be recontemplating and behind that is the force of a federal court as well. so it's going to be interesting to see how quickly they recontemplate. what do you think? it is without question a gross overreach. >> it was and so many others. one of the things the media covered lots of things they like about trump but haven't covered all the regulatory reforms, all the executive orders already signed. lou: 24 of them, adding the two today. >> they're going to have powerful impact. lou: which includes historically black universities and college, which the president gives 107 universities and colleges direct access to the white house, and that in and of itself is a brilliant political

stroke and a terrific, terrific advance in the interest of those colleges and universities. >> you know what i want to see tonight from president trump particularly? lou: what? >> he does have a good sense of humor. lou: i do know that. >> i'd like to hear him be funny, and you know what people liked in ronald reagan, self-deprecating humor. lou: let me give you a little example of that, on "fox & friends" today he was asked what kind of grade he would give himself. a for accomplishment but a c, c+ for messaging. >> i was shocked! >> were you shocked? i certainly was. and that's self-effacement, that was modesty, not in large measure but at least a sample. >> i have seen so many of these speeches, and they aren't memorable except for the first one. lou: this one is likely to be memorable because the dems who have been obstructionists, obstreperous, vile, venomous

and mean may demonstrate the true nature. >> the most distinct poll is the one that shows two-thirds of the people want democrats to deal with president trump. lou: 63%. >> not just total resistance but to deal with him. trump needs to take advantage of that. and tonight is a good time to do it. lou: do you think the dems are smart enough to understand they've got their backs against the wall? >> not so far. [ laughter ] >> fred, as always. thanks for being with us. >> glad to be here. lou: fred barnes. up next, the economy set to be a big theme in the president's speech tonight, and the president already vowing to rev it up. >> we're going to get jobs back in our country. you see what i've done, ford announced. general motors. fiat announced. they're all building big plant, coming back into the united states. they were fleeing. lou: and joining me next, our own trish regan joins us.

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president's first address to congress. this joint session of congress this evening. i love that, don't you? just on cue, bells, the economy, should be a major focus of the president's speech. nce the election, markets posting $2.9 trillion in paper gains. home prices now at the highest level in 2 1/2 years. get what? consumer confidence today hit a 15-year high. combined with almost $3 trillion in expansion of market cap, a 15-year high in consumer confidence, investor confidence. consumer confidence, i mean, it's a remarkable plebiscite on this president and his administration. trish regan, host of "the intelligence report" here on the fox business network joining us. great to see. >> you good to see you. lou: and i mean, it is remarkable what we have seen happen since he was elected. >> people are feeling really good. positive, have you businessmen

in the oval office for the first time ever, and someone who understands the economy. in a way we haven't seen before, there is an optimism that is not just being reflected in consumer confidence numbers that you mention but on wall street as well. lou: i just said $3 trillion. think of the last time you saw $3 trillion in market cap. this is unprecedented, particularly in this short of period of time. >> a lot of people on the left would say the stock market did really well under president obama to which i always counter. >> it did. it was great. >> we know that it was because of the federal reserve and the sugar high that was induced from the federal reserve during those times. there was not a tremendous amount of economic growth, i think the opportunity he now has it to see real growth, the markets looking at the promise of better economic policy and they're responding to that, which in many ways is much healthier than anything the

federal reserve can possibly do. lou: well, there's going to have to be some resolution to a balance sheet of $4.5 trillion not to get into the weeds on this. but right now the federal reserve with a chair and members ofhe feral open market committee yapping abo interest rate hikes when all they're doing is following the market itself and secondarily not discussing, nor in anyway, conveying any strategy how to reduce the balance sheet. it's not helpful to the economy. this president is talking with great energy about driving growth and creating jobs, something we haven't heard over the course of the past eight years? >> when you think, lou, when you talk to people in business and talk to ceos during the time president obama was there. was their was a lot of hesitancy. it's very different now. a different tone coming from the corporate suite.

lou: like he has ceos on trolleys coming into the white house. it's wonderful. >> look at ford, right? that's a great example. play-doh is going to be made in massachusetts again as opposed to overseas. i think there's a lot of opportunity for manufacturing growth here in the united states, certainly financial growth. the financial sector has been on an absolute tear. the prospect of less regulation, do not underestimate that. less regulation, lower taxes. these are things that help economies grow, and he knows that. he understands that from the inside out. lou: i think we have to be cautious though, a bit. because there can be the suggestion that tax cuts in and of themselves will create jobs. we know from 2001, 2003, the two largest tax cuts in modern history under the bush administration, also resulted for various reasons in exten

waiting special contexts and conditions but the result in job creation was disappointing. the weakest in fact since world war ii, following tax cuts. so we also havto you in the context the history of this economy and always the potential for unintended consequences. >> of course. lou: the great thing is we have a president who can take care of the dog gone unintended consequences in donald trump. >> keep in mind, also, it's a combination of different things. tax cuts in and of themselves can only do so much. if you put tax cuts coupled with regulation coupled with the opportunity to bring all this money home sitting overseas to make it work for us and to say we're not going to just do this as a onetime holiday but here for good, that's promiseing. >> it is promising, that would be the greatest stimulus program in the country's history. the result should be, should be just explosive.

trish regan, we're looking forward to seeing you throughout the evening. thank you for being here. >> thank you, sir. >> have a chat with you. up next, hour away from the president's joint session of congress, counselor to the president, kellyanne conway earlier offered something of a preview. >> he will go through a list of his accomplishments in the first five weeks because they're many, and don't always get covered fully or fairly. he will talk about all the promises kept. lou: randy evans and tom sullivan join me here next. we're coming to you live from our nation's capitol. that's right. this, this is the most beautiful swamp in all the world. we're here. we'll be right back. no matter how the markets change... at t. rowe price... our disciplined approach remains. global markets may be uncertain... but you can feel confident in our investment experience around the world. call us or your advisor... t. rowe price. invest with confidence.

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has all this experience in business, and everybody you talk to who knows the man say he's an incredible salesman. he will have to sell congress and he will have to sell the american people on calling up their member of congress and push them. we'll see if he's able to manage congress. >> i don't know too many people who have been successful in managing congress. but i have got to just share with you a tweet from the president and share it with our audience. point election of thomas perez, a left winger extra ordinary air twinger..

perez respond, call me tom and don't get too happy. keith ellison and and democrats across the country will be your worst nightmare. that doesn't soundoo classy. >> it says who they are. tonight we'll get a good picture of that. we'll see a leader who lays out a vision how to make america great again. and you will get to see the congress. and we'll see the naysayers and defeatists. but you will also see those members of congress, republicans and democrats open to the possibility, open to the dreams of a leader who says i can take touts places we have been before and even higher. >> do you expect to see disruption from the democrats?

>> i don't know. i think they will have to put their finger in the wind. a lot of people love president trump. they will be for everything he says. but have you seen the last couple days there is a lot of different polling coming out saying people who don't necessarily care for him, but they like his ideas. so his ideas are going to be what people are going to have to log onto. and those members of congress, if they find out his ideas are popular, they better not oppose that too much. lou: we found out in the election people love his ideas. we found out the polls that say people don't like him don't amount to much. because we saw such large crowds where he stopped. it's going to be interesting to find out whether or not the

republican leadership falls in line smartly and quickly so that this president and they can succeed and drive possible pairtd for all americans. your thoughts? >> well, having been recalcitrant to two republican speakers, if donald trump leads like that train in the background, there will be casualties on both sides of the aisle. there will be those who won't jump on board to get his agenda implemented. if 53% of the american people say we want this president to work together. >> people voted against the old guard and the old guard ought to pay attention tonight.

lou: that's it for us. neil cavuto continues our coverage of president trump's address to a joint session of congress tonight. [♪] >> announcer: this is fox business coverage of president trump's address to congress. here is neil cavuto. neil: it's not a state of the union address, but for donald trump a key opportunity to take advantage and sell a message to congress. he could have as much difficulty wing over those in his own party as those in the opposite party. we'll get into the details of that. we know the president will set up an agenda that will call for