Trump gets prime-time shot on Tuesday

WASHINGTON — After a month and a week of political battle with Democrats, the media, and some Republicans, President Trump gets a chance to take his agenda to prime time on Tuesday.

Trump's speech to a joint session of Congress, a quasi-State of the Union address, is expected to focus on his plans for tax and regulation cuts, health care, border security, and jobs issues.

"The theme will be the renewal of the American spirit," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said.

Congressional Democrats and other critics, meanwhile, are expected to go after Trump's immigration and economic policies, as well as his attacks on the media and, in certain cases, the judiciary.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she will invite guests to the speech who are under threat from Trump.

They include an immigrant brought to the country illegally who now faces the prospect of deportation; a woman who lost her son to gun violence, and someone who is "a symbol of the freedom of the press, which the president, in his authoritarian manner, is attacking," Pelosi told ABC's This Week.

Saying Trump has no specific plans for jobs, health care, or infrastructure, Pelosi told ABC that the president is "the deflector-in-chief."

Technically, Trump's speech is not a State of the Union address; first-year presidents aren't expected to know the true state of the nation.

The prime time address will, in many ways, set the stage for Trump's political agenda the rest of the year.

Said Spicer: "The theme will be the renewal of the American spirit. The address will particularly focus on public safety including defense, increased border security, taking care of veterans, and then economic opportunity including education, job training, healthcare reform, jobs and tax and regulatory reform."