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Donald Trump's Speech to Congress Was 'All Him': VP Mike Pence

Mike Pence made the comments on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
Image: Mike Pence
Mike Pence on MSNBC's Morning Joe.Morning Joe MSNBC

A speech widely regarded as President Donald Trump's most presidential moment so far was "all him," according to Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump's first address to Congress on Tuesday saw him strike a more conciliatory tone than the one he's often employed since entering the White House in January.

Asked on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" whether anyone on Trump's team had influenced this change in tone, Pence said that "this was all him."

According to Pence, Trump "leads by asking questions," but on this occasion he said that "at the end of the day [Trump] was literally re-writing the speech on the afternoon" before the address.

"President Donald Trump stepped up and told the American people where he wants to go," he said. "To see reception he got gave me great confidence that the agenda articulated last night is the right agenda for America."

"When it comes time to making his case to the American people and fighting for what he believes in, he brings that case and he brings it strong"

During his address to Congress, Trump defended controversial policies pushed by his administration and outlined a bold agenda highlighted by immigration reform, an expansive infrastructure program and reform of the nation's health care system.

Pence, whose style has often contrasted with the more combative Trump, said that Americans elected the president because he is "a fighter" who was "willing to make his case and challenge his detractors."

He said that while Trump was looking forward to funding better infrastructure and striking new trade deals, his plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, would be first line line, "right out of the box," as he put it.

Image: Mike Pence
Mike Pence on MSNBC's Morning Joe.Morning Joe MSNBC

Pence also appeared on NBC's "TODAY," when he was asked again whether anyone had an influence on mellowing Trump's tone.

"The president that I saw last night is the president that I've seen every day since I joined this campaign," he said. "He's a fighter. And when it comes time to making his case to the American people and fighting for what he believes in, he brings that case and he brings it strong."

"The American people got a look at the president in full," Pence added. "They saw his strength, they saw his compassion, they saw his determination to move this country forward with optimism."

Meanwhile, a senior administration official was slightly more specific about who had influence over the speech, Axios reported. Communications Director Hope Hicks added an emphasis on condemning hate and evil in all forms, but Senior Adviser Stephen Miller and daughter Ivanka Trump reportedly had the greatest influence over the speech.

"The speech was all Miller, but Ivanka worked hard on it with him on many of the parts, especially affirming that the president's desire to have an uplifting and aspirational speech was right," the official told Axios.