Trump Denies Nancy Pelosi Pre-State of the Union Handshake
The House speaker hit back by ripping up his speech.
Mandel Ngan/Getty
Before President Trump started his State of the Union speech on Tuesday, he appeared to reject House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s handshake. Video shows Pelosi sticking out her hand to give it to Trump, but the president simply turned around toward the podium.
Trump refuses to shake Pelosi's hand at #SOTU pic.twitter.com/2E9wXrHFva
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 5, 2020
A few moments later, Pelosi eschewed the House speaker’s traditional announcement of the president to Congress: “Members of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the President of the United States.” Instead, she opted to say only: “Members of Congress, the president of the United States.” Her final coup de grace in the escalating squabble was to rip up her copy of the president's speech.
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