State of the Union address: Nancy Pelosi rips copy of Trump’s speech in stunning scene

By Ben Feuerherd, New York Post, February 4, 2020

https://nypost.com/2020/02/04/state-of-the-union-address-nancy-pelosi-rips-copy-of-trumps-speech-in-stunning-scene/

Dan Linden

✔@DanLinden

Pelosi rips up copy of Trump’s speech right after he finished. https://abcn.ws/2Sn0x04 #SOTU

2,093

5:26 AM - Feb 5, 2020

Twitter Ads info and privacy

1,052 people are talking about this

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up a copy of President Trump’s State of the Union address as he ended his speech Tuesday night — after the president refused to shake her hand at the beginning of the address.

As Trump was ending the one hour and 18-minute speech, Vice President Mike Pence and Pelosi, who were seated behind the president during his remarks, stood up as the House chamber erupted into applause.

Pelosi took the paper copy of the speech Trump had handed to her at the beginning of the event and — in full view of the television cameras — ripped the paper in half.

She then grabbed more papers that had the text of the speech printed on them and tore them in half as well.

Asked by a Politico reporter why she shredded the speech, Pelosi said, “It was the courteous thing to do.”

The White House, in a tweet, slammed Pelosi’s gesture, saying she figuratively “ripped up” the State of the Union’s special guests and their loved ones, including “One of our last surviving Tuskegee Airmen.”

“That’s her legacy,” the tweeted continued.

Pelosi’s move was perhaps a response to Trump snubbing Pelosi’s handshake offer as he began his address.

After he handed a copy of the speech to Pelosi at the beginning of the event, she reached out and offered the president her hand for a shake.

Instead of reaching out his hand to meet hers, Trump turned his back on her and faced the auditorium, clapping along with senators and members of Congress who were applauding his entrance as Pelosi gave a shrug.

After Trump’s address, Pelosi shed light on Trump’s handshake diss.

“The manifesto of mistruths presented in page after page of the address tonight should be a call to action for everyone who expects truth from the President and policies worthy of his office and the American people,” Pelosi said in a statement.

“The American people expect and deserve a President to have integrity and respect for the aspirations for their children.”