Gingrich: Censure Nancy Pelosi for Tearing Up Trump’s SOTU Speech

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) called on current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to be censured for ripping up a copy of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening.

“As Speaker of the House for four State of the Unions by a President of the other party I am disgusted and insulted by the viciously partisan action of Nancy Pelosi tearing up the speech,” Gingrich wrote. “She isn’t clever or cute her childishness insults our American traditions -should be censured.”

Pelosi made the spectacle of tearing up the speech at the conclusion of the president’s remarks as he received applause from lawmakers. In addition to tearing up his speech, the speaker snubbed the president by introducing him into the House chamber as the “The President of the United States.” It is customary for the speaker to welcome the president with the language: “I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the President of the United States.” Following the slight, the president appeared to snub an attempt by the speaker to shake his hand.

President Donald Trump touted the strength of the U.S. economy in his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Trump praised the economy as the best its ever been declaring that he has ushered in a “great American comeback” through trade deals, his tax package and repeals of regulatory legislations put in place by the previous administration.

“From the instant I took office, I moved rapidly to revive the U.S. economy — slashing a record number of job-killing regulations, enacting historic and record-setting tax cuts and fighting for fair and reciprocal trade agreements,” Trump said.

He cited the signing of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement last week, a revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994 which Trump has predicted that it will improve U.S. economic growth by 1.2 percent, generate $68 billion in new economic activity and create 176,000 new jobs.

Trump also mentioned that the United States signed a deal with China “that will defend our workers, protect our intellectual property, bring billions of dollars into our treasury and open vast new markets for products made and grown right here in the United States of America.”

The UPI contributed to this report.