U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, a Democrat representing Kansas City in Congress, “couldn’t believe” some of the comments President Donald Trump made in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
“It was an attack after attack after attack, including an attack on the Supreme Court,” Cleaver said.
During the longest State of the Union address in U.S. history, Trump praised his own policies on the economy, immigration and more. He repeatedly shamed Democrats for not backing his priorities, often creating visual separation between the two parties by asking members to stand in support of certain policies.
Overall, Cleaver gave Trump’s speech a “C” grade, calling him the “divider in chief.” He criticized many of Trump’s comments, but said he felt it was important to attend.
Dozens of Democratic senators and House members boycotted the address.
“I refuse to boycott because I think a part of my job is to be there. I was hired by the voters to do my job and my job to be there,” Cleaver told KCUR’s Up To Date.
Rep. Sharice Davids, who represents Kansas’ 3rd District as a Democrat, also attended the speech.
On Up To Date, Cleaver also discussed many of the speech’s other topics, including tariffs, immigration and more.
- U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, Democrat representing Kansas City
