White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the behavior of Democrats at President Trump’s address to Congress was “disgraceful.”
“The behavior of Democrats [Tuesday night] was completely disgraceful and demonstrated how severely out of touch they are with the American public,” Ms. Leavitt said at the press briefing. “It was the most shameful moment in the history of presidential addresses in that beautiful chamber.”
She said Mr. Trump’s speech was supposed to be “unifying,” but instead Democrats yelled at the president, walked out and “disrespected the American people.”
She slammed Democrats for not standing and applauding when Mr. Trump introduced some of the guests who were invited to the address, like 13-year-old brain cancer survivor D.J. Daniel, who has always wanted to be a cop and became an honorary Secret Service member Tuesday night.
Democrats repeatedly yelled out interruptions throughout Mr. Trump’s address, booing and calling him a liar.
Rep. Al Green, Texas Democrat, stood up and yelled, “You have no mandate.” When he wouldn’t sit down or stop yelling, he was removed from the chamber at the direction of House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican. He told reporters after his removal that he “was making it clear that he has no mandate to cut Medicaid.”
Republican lawmakers have since called for him to be censured. Mr. Green has said he will not fight punishment.
Other Democrats held up signs that said “false” or “lie after lie.”
Democrats have defended their move to not stand up even for the guests.
“I think folks from their own seats clapped, and many times, certainly for Laken Riley and for others there,” said Rep. Delia Ramirez, Illinois Democrat. “But to stand up to someone who has demonstrated that he wants to be king, while it could have been for them, but [it would have been like] standing with Donald Trump and we just could not stand to do that.”
Ms. Leavitt said the only time Democrats applauded was “for Ukraine, not America.”
“Last night was a very clarifying moment for our country. Democrats expose themselves as the party of insanity and hate, the party that wants to put America last,” she said. “They have allowed their Trump derangement syndrome to stop them from celebrating America and our people.”
She also bashed the mainstream media for its coverage.
“It’s sad and frankly, pathetic that Democrats and liberals in the legacy media continue to allow their hatred for the president to override their love for our country,” she said.
Ms. Leavitt said that the president “and everyone” was surprised to see Democrats remain seated for the everyday Americans whom Mr. Trump highlighted as invited guests, including Marc Fogel, the American schoolteacher who was detained in Russia for three years before the president and his advisers struck a deal to get him home last month.
• Kerry Picket contributed to this report.
