House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she feels “very liberated,” after shredding President Trump’s State of the Union address, which she called “appalling” and reminiscent of a reality show or a campaign rally.
Pelosi, a California Democrat, said the president’s address, an annual tradition, was not about the state of the country.
“What happened instead was the president using the Congress of the United States as a backdrop for a reality show,” Pelosi told reporters at her weekly press conference. “A state of mind that had no contact with reality.”
Democrats expressed outrage at the president’s Tuesday night address, even while Republicans called it one of the best speeches ever delivered by Trump.
In a moment that has gone viral, Pelosi tore up the speech at the conclusion of the address as she stood behind Trump at the podium in the House chamber.
The president highlighted economic gains, big achievements during his first term, including trade agreements, tax cuts, and criminal justice reform, and he invited guests who would showcase his priorities.
Pelosi said the address was laden with “mistruths” and did not credit Democrats for their own efforts in lowering the cost of healthcare and improving the trade deals.
Pelosi said he inherited economic success from the Obama administration, and rather than working to improve America, he wants to reduce entitlements such as Medicare, Medicaid, and food stamps.
“In my view, it was a manifesto of mistruths, falsehoods, blatantly really dangerous to the well-being of the American people if they believe what he said,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi did not address protest shouts from her own Democratic caucus during the president’s speech, but she said it was “totally inappropriate” for some Republicans during the address to shout, “Four more years,” in support of Trump.
