USA TODAY

House Speaker Paul Ryan: “That was a home run. President Trump delivered a bold, optimistic message to the American people. We now have a government unified around a simple, but important principle: Empowering the people — not Washington — is the way to build a better future for our country.”

Ali Vitali, Twitter: “I’ve covered hundreds of Trump speeches. This was his most disciplined, on-message, succinctly communicated, and clear.”

Trump would explode the deficit: Our view

Justin Bogie, The Hill: “Critics claim that these (budget) cuts fail to address the key drivers of spending growth: federal health care programs and Social Security. What they miss is that reducing discretionary spending is not just about achieving budgetary savings to control the national debt. Equally important is removing government barriers that inhibit individual and economic freedom, and to eliminate federally funded corporate cronyism.”

David French, National Review: “Given our current battlefield supremacy, most voters don’t really understand how old most of our weapons are. Key systems date back to the Cold Wars. Fathers and even grandfathers of current pilots have flown fighters and bombers still in front-line service.”

John A. Cassara, The Washington Times: “Sometimes the obvious just needs to be said. Official Washington is bellyaching about the cost of President Trump’s ‘wall.’ ... Some put the cost at more than $20 billion. So be it. Beyond contraband and illegal immigrants coming north, something goes south: cash. Simply put, these illicit proceeds, counted in the tens of billions, would easily pay for the wall — time to say so.”

Catherine Rampell, The Washington Post: “For months we pundits have been puzzling over ‘America first.’ ... The motto’s meaning is becoming clearer. ‘America first’ really means ‘Americans last.’ ... Recent Census data found that about a fifth of Americans participate in at least one of the biggest federal means-tested poverty programs each month. Many of those beneficiaries also happen to be Republicans, believe it or not. It’s difficult to argue that reducing Americans’ access to food, health care, housing and other necessities is putting their needs ‘first.’ ”