In 40-minutes of stream-of-consciousness opening comments, he criticised Israel, praised Vladimir Putin and repeatedly said he didn't want to be another Herbert Hoover - the President who led America into the Great Depression

Given the opportunity to insult in person the allies he has attacked from afar, Trump did not take it and instead remained reasonably well-behaved.

President meanders through hourlong stemwinder in effort to justify war as White House confirms text of deal to release billions of frozen Iranian funds