Past presidents have used the Oval Office in prime time to announce military action, to lay out major initiatives or to calm the nation's nerves in times of stress. President Donald Trump chose the gravity of that venue for a far different reason Tuesday night - to try to create a sense of crisis in pursuit of an elusive campaign promise.
With the government in partial shutdown and talks with Democratic congressional leaders stalemated over funding for a border wall, the president used his address as a dramatic escalation in what has been an unsuccessful effort to sway opinion nationally and in Congress.