The White House released a list of who President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump invited to attend the State of the Union address.
The list includes a Gold Star family, veterans, and a former Venezuelan police chief.
“From brave military families to hardworking local leaders, this year’s guests come from many walks of life. Each one represents the very best of America and people the world over,” the statement announcing the attendees said.
First on the list is Stephanie Davis, who applied for a tax credit scholarship for her daughter Janiyah to help her choose a better performing school in Philadelphia.
The White House says Janiyah was placed on a waiting list after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) vetoed legislation aimed at expanding the program.
Also attending are Kelli and Gage Hake, the widow and son of Army Staff Sergeant Christopher Hake, who was killed in Iraq by a “roadside bomb supplied by Iranian terrorist leader Qasem Soleimani.”
Soleimani was Iran’s top general, believed to be behind several attacks on American service members in the Middle East. He was killed in a drone strike in early-January after Iraqi protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
Tony Rankins and Paul Morrow, two veterans who are benefiting from the Opportunity Zones created by the 2017 tax cut law, will also be in attendance.
Trump also invited Raul Ortiz, the Deputy Chief of U.S. Border Patrol. Additionally, Jody Jones — whose brother was murdered by an illegal immigrant who had been deported twice and arrested six times before he killed Jones’ brother
The former police chief Caracas, Venezuela, Ivan Simonovis, who fled to the United States in 2019 will also be attending the speech.
Finally, Trump invited Robin Schneider and her daughter, Ellie, who was born at 21 weeks and is “ is one of the youngest babies to survive in the United States.”
Trump is scheduled to deliver his annual State of the Union address Tuesday at 9 p.m. He is expected to speak about the economy, national security, immigration, school choice, and healthcare.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley said impeachment is not mentioned in the speech, but, “As [Trump] likes to say, we’ll see what happens.”
