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After handshake snub, Pelosi rips up Trump's speech copy

February 05, 2020 10:53 IST

Remember, United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's slow clap during Donald J Trump's State of the Union speech last year?

The 2019 State of the Union will be more remembered for Pelosi's sarcastic gesture than POTUS's annual address to the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The 2020 State of the Union rekindled the bitter feud between Trump and Pelosi, with Trump snubbing the speaker's outstretched hand and Pelosi ripping apart a copy of his remarks behind his back.

IMAGE: President Donald Trump turns away as Speaker Nancy Pelosi reaches out to shake his hand as he arrives to deliver his State of the Union address. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters

Pelosi didn't lose an opportunity to troll Trump who is making a strong pitch for re-election and confident of his acquittal from impeachment, which has been monitored by the house speaker.

Immediately after Trump finished his speech, Pelosi stood up behind him and ripped her copy of the speech in half before tossing it aside.

IMAGE: Pelosi rips up Trump's speech after his State of the Union address to the joint session of the US congress, February 4, 2020. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Asked why she tore up the speech, Pelosi told reporters. "Because it was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternatives."

The White House responded quickly, accusing Pelosi of disrespecting the Americans that Trump had praised during his State of the Union address.

IMAGE: Pelosi holds up her ripped up copy of Trump's speech at the conclusion of his State of the Union address. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters

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