On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticized House and Senate Democrats for not applauding the families of deceased Americans during President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress the previous night.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Briefs Members of the Media, Mar. 5, 2025 https://t.co/1iFyuQksUF
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 5, 2025
Early in Trump’s Tuesday night speech—less than 10 minutes in—House Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to intervene when Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, persistently disrupted the president, waving his cane in the air. Democrats displayed signs reading “That’s a lie,” “False,” and “That’s Not Normal” during the address.
US Rep Al Green expelled from the chamber for repeated and continuous breach of decorum. pic.twitter.com/jAJMWnvyGL
— National Conservative (@NatCon2022) March 5, 2025
Leavitt noted that throughout Trump’s notably lengthy speech, the only topic that drew applause from Democrats was funding for Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.
She described the event as “the most disgraceful moment in the history of presidential addresses in that historic chamber,” arguing that what should have been a unifying occasion for the nation was marred by Democratic members of Congress who “yelled at the president of the United States—fresh off a resounding reelection by their own voters—exited the chamber, and, most egregiously, showed disrespect to the American people.”
Leavitt pointed out that Democrats remained seated and silent for several individuals highlighted during the speech: a young female volleyball player left permanently injured after being struck in the face by a ball spiked at an estimated 65 mph by a biological male identifying as female; a 13-year-old boy fighting brain cancer; mentions of tax cuts; and two mothers grieving daughters killed by illegal immigrants.
Why is Democrat Rep. Debbie Dingell rolling her eyes at a 13 year old boy diagnosed with brain cancer??
— Ben Goldey (@BenGoldey) March 5, 2025
pic.twitter.com/kgAirO8jWM
“The only thing that got Democrats on their feet last night was cheering for Ukraine—not America,” Leavitt remarked, asserting that the congressional Democrats’ behavior revealed them as “the party of irrationality and hostility, the party that prioritizes America last.”
“They’ve let their obsession with opposing Trump prevent them from honoring America and its people,” she added, vowing, “We won’t let them forget it.”