President Donald Trump sharply criticized Democratic lawmakers who remained seated during a portion of his State of the Union address in which he called on Congress to affirm that the federal government’s “first duty” is to protect American citizens over illegal immigrants.
During Tuesday night’s speech, President Trump invited legislators to stand if they agreed with the statement that the primary responsibility of the U.S. government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. Republicans, led by Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, rose to their feet, while many Democrats stayed seated.
President Trump singled out the reaction, saying those who refused to stand “should be ashamed.” At one point, Representative Ilhan Omar shouted criticism toward the president from the chamber floor, while Representative Rashida Tlaib, seated nearby, wore a pin with an anti ICE message.
After order was restored, President Trump urged Congress to pass legislation overriding state and local sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. He also called for stricter penalties on public officials who block the removal of criminal illegal immigrants.
Later in the speech, President Trump again criticized Democrats for remaining seated as he recognized Anna Zarutska, the mother of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed in North Carolina. He pledged to ensure justice in the case and questioned why some lawmakers did not stand during the recognition.
The address, which became the longest State of the Union in American history, also focused on economic policy, border security, prescription drug pricing, and opposition to youth gender transition procedures. During several of those moments, Democrats remained seated, prompting additional criticism from the president.
The exchanges underscored the deeply divided atmosphere in the House chamber as President Trump framed immigration enforcement and public safety as central themes ahead of the midterm elections.
The post Trump Slams Democrats Who Refused To Stand During Immigration Remarks At State Of The Union appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
