PoliticsDonald TrumpNancy PelosiState of the Union

Nancy Pelosi Explains Why She Clapped Like That At Donald Trump

The House speaker's applause of the president during the State of the Union spawned multiple memes.
Open Image Modal
By 

Reporter, HuffPost

|

It was the clap that reverberated around the (online) world.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) applauded President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address to the joint session of Congress on Tuesday and inspired memes and “Photoshop Battles” galore. On Wednesday, she revealed the thought process behind her expression, which many commentators suggested was a sarcastic dig toward the president.

“It wasn’t sarcastic,” Pelosi insisted to reporters, per People magazine. “Look at what I was applauding. I wanted him to know that it was very welcomed.”

Pelosi’s applause of Trump came after he called for the rejection of “the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution. He also asked lawmakers to “embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good.”

But Pelosi’s own daughter, Christine Pelosi, appeared to spin a different narrative for her mother’s clapping:

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip