Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) described President Trump’s State of the Union address as a “manifesto of mistruth” at her weekly press briefing Thursday morning.
Pelosi was asked if she thought that she stepped on her own message to her fellow House Democrats to take the high road when she ripped up a paper copy of Trump’s annual address right after his 80-minute speech ended.
“I did not. I tore up a manifesto of mistruth,” Pelosi responded.
Pelosi said Trump “misrepresented” legislation that House Democrats are working on, specifically mentioning legislation known as H.R. 3 that aims to lower drug prices. A group of Democrats at one point chanted “H.R. 3” in criticism of Trump.
In his address, Trump made it seemed like no such bill had been passed. Trump said that if such a bill was bipartisan, he would “sign it into law immediately.”
However, two Republicans in the House did vote in favor of the bill: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.).
The bill is one of a growing number of measures passed by the House that has not been considered in the GOP-controlled Senate, a point Democrats have repeatedly noted.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has given no indication the bill will be considered anytime soon.
Pelosi added that she didn’t need lessons in dignity, “especially from the president of the United States.”
At the beginning of Tuesday’s State of the Union address, Trump left Pelosi’s arm hanging as he appeared to snub giving her a handshake.
Pelosi on Thursday said that had nothing to do with her decision to rip up his speech at the end of the address.