YOU’RE INVITED

These Are Trump’s Special Guests at the State of the Union

The guests include an American family who was directly affected by Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, and a Border Patrol deputy chief.

The White House has announced President Trump and first lady Melania Trump’s special guests at tonight’s State of the Union address, giving some insight into what Trump might mention during his Tuesday night speech to Congress. The attendees include Kelli Hake and her son, Gage, who lost their husband and father, Army Staff Sergeant Christopher Hake, in Iraq after he was killed by a roadside bomb supplied by Iranian General Qassem Soleimani—who died in a U.S. airstrike earlier this year. Two veterans working in Alabama and Ohio “opportunity zones”—impoverished neighborhoods targeted for reinvigoration under the Trump administration—were also invited to the address. Immigration could come up during the speech, as Border Patrol Deputy Chief Raul Ortiz and Jody Jones—the brother of a man who was killed by an undocumented immigrant in California—are among the invited guests.

The issue of school choice may also be mentioned by the president tonight, as two of the guests are 4th grader Janiyah Davis and her mother. According to the White House, Davis has been “assigned to low-performing schools” in Pennsylvania and is one of the 50,000 students on the waitlist for a private school scholarship after the state vetoed school choice legislation. Abortion is another possible topic Trump could touch upon, as Ellie Schneider—a 2-year-old girl who was born at 21 weeks—and her mother Robin were invited to the address. Currently, abortions in the U.S. are available to women until the baby reaches about 24 weeks.