President Donald Trump has appeared to jokingly accuse Democrats of “treasonous” behaviour for choosing not to applaud him during his first State of the Union address last week.
During a speech in Blue Ash, Ohio, Mr Trump said the Democrats gave off “bad energy” during the address by failing to even clap at the positive economic news.
The President called the reception “un-American” and went further by saying he would call it treason.
“Shall we call that treason? Why not?” he said, smiling as the audience laughed.
It has become standard for members of the President’s opposing party to give him a chilly reception as he updates the nation during the annual State of the Union address. But in a move that will likely play well with his base of supporters, Mr Trump said he believed Democrats were merely indicating their lack of patriotism.
“They certainly didn’t seem to love our country very much,” said Mr Trump, who has repeatedly made it clear that he loves applause and recognition.
There was no question that Democrats were not as excited as Republicans to witness Mr Trump’s address last week in-person.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus sat stone-faced in their seats as the President took credit for the US’s record-low black unemployment rate – even though the rate had decreased most significantly under former President Barack Obama.
Some played on their phones as Mr Trump spoke. More than a dozen liberal members of the House of Representatives even boycotted the speech.
But a few Democratic senators did applaud when they felt it was appropriate. For example, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a state that went to Mr Trump in 2016, even got to his feet when the President talked about infrastructure and reviving cities like Detroit.
Mr Trump won more claps from Democrats by expressing his support for bipartisan issues. Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, for example, clapped when Mr Trump mentioned he was committed to lowering prescription drug prices, a cause she has championed.
But the President never received anything close to the bipartisan standing ovation he appears to have been hungry for.
SOURCE : INDEPENDENT
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