Nancy Pelosi rips up copy of State of the Union speech from Trump

Source: ABC GMA

February 5, 2020 at 07:10

Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty ImagesVice President Mike Pence claps as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rips a copy of President Donald Trump speech after he delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, Feb. 4, 2020.Vice Pr

Pelosi later called the address "a dirty speech."

In a moment that bookended an already divided night at the Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore in half a copy of the State of the Union address given to her by the president just as he finished speaking.

President Donald Trump didn't appear to notice as Pelosi, standing behind him in the gallery, ripped up the papers.

When asked after the event why she ripped up the speech, Pelosi told reporters it was "because it was a courteous thing to do considering the alternative. It was such a dirty speech."

Vice President Mike Pence claps as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rips a copy of President Donald Trump speech after he delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, Feb. 4, 2020. Vice President Mike Pence claps as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rips a copy of President Donald Trump speech after he delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, Feb. 4, 2020.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images — Vice President Mike Pence claps as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rips a copy of President Donald Trump speech after he delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, Feb. 4, 2020.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The White House responded on Twitter, writing that Pelosi tearing up the pages was "her legacy."

Speaker Pelosi just ripped up:

One of our last surviving Tuskegee Airmen.

The survival of a child born at 21 weeks.

The mourning families of Rocky Jones and Kayla Mueller.

A service member's reunion with his family.

That's her legacy.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 5, 2020

The address put America's divided politics on display, with Republicans offering up raucous support while Democrats mainly glared on and kept quiet.

One such moment was when Trump called California "a very terrible sanctuary," a comment not included among his prepared remarks.

"The State of California passed an outrageous law declaring their whole State to be a sanctuary for criminal illegal immigrants -- a very terrible sanctuary -- with catastrophic results," Trump said.

Pelosi's jaw dropped at the comment. She represents California's 12th congressional district, which includes San Francisco.

Other House Democrats at time could be heard booing, while Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, and Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., walked out.