Pelosi Begrudgingly Applauds Death of al-Baghdadi at State of the Union

President Donald Trump, during his State of the Union address, touted the U.S. forces’ success in killing Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the so-called “Islamic State,” or ISIS, last Fall, a move that received applause from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Shortly before delivering the address, President Trump snubbed Pelosi’s attempt to shake his hand.

“In response, Pelosi slighted President Trump by only saying introducing him with the phrase: ‘The President of the United States,’ Breitbart News’ Joshua Caplan noted. “It is customary for the speaker to welcome the president with: ‘I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the President of the United States.'”

During his homage to the parents of Kayla Mueller, an American humanitarian aid worker kidnapped and killed by al-Baghdadi, however, Pelosi applauded.

White House

“In 2013, while caring for suffering civilians in Syria, Kayla was kidnapped, tortured, and enslaved by ISIS, and kept as a prisoner of Al-Baghdadi himself. After more than 500 horrifying days of captivity, Al-Baghdadi murdered young Kayla,” Trump said.

He added, “She was just 26 years old.”

He then reflected on the night al-Baghdadi was killed:

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, received a call in the Situation Room. He was told that the brave men of the elite Special Forces team, that so perfectly carried out the operation, had given their mission a name.

“Task Force 8-14, it was a reference to a special day: August 14th, Kayla’s birthday,” Trump said as he then turned to Kayla’s parents and stated, “America’s warriors never forgot Kayla and neither will we.”

Last October, Trump outlined Baghdadi’s final moments in another address to the nation. “He died like a dog. He died like a coward, Trump explained.

At the time of al-Baghdadi’s death, President Trump thanked Russia, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Kurdish forces for their assistance and praised U.S. intelligence and military personnel.