Vice President Vance Condemns Democrats' Response During Trump's State of the Union Address
Vice President JD Vance launched a sharp critique against Democratic lawmakers who attended President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday night, specifically targeting those who did not stand up when the president called for a show of support for his statement prioritizing American citizens over undocumented immigrants. In an interview on Fox News' "America's Newsroom" with anchor Bill Hemmer on Wednesday, Vance expressed his dismay at the Democrats' reaction during the historic speech.
"What a Shame That Is": Vance's Reaction to Democratic Non-Response
"Well, I saw a couple of things, Bill — first of all, obviously most Democrats didn't stand up or clap, and what a shame that is," Vance told Hemmer. The vice president's comments came after President Trump delivered what became the longest State of the Union address in history, lasting 108 minutes and containing several contentious claims about falling prices, ending wars, and the success of his tariff policies.
Democrats who chose to attend Trump's speech instead of the alternative "People's State of the Union" counterprogramming faced direct disapproval from the president during his address. At a pivotal moment in his speech, Trump explicitly invited legislators to demonstrate their agreement with his fundamental principle: "I'm inviting every legislature to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle — if you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support."
Trump's Direct Challenge and Subsequent Rebuke
President Trump then articulated the statement in question: "The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens." Following this declaration, he directly scolded the Democratic lawmakers present, telling them, "you should be ashamed of yourselves for not standing up."
Vance amplified this criticism during his Fox News appearance, stating, "What a sad commentary that is on the Democratic Party, that the idea that the American government should stand for American citizens, not illegal aliens. That shouldn't be controversial, but apparently it was to the Democrats."
Vance Accuses Democrats of "Cowardice" and Lack of Conviction
The vice president went further in his condemnation, accusing Democratic lawmakers of displaying "cowardice" during the address. He claimed that while some Democrats were clapping politely, they refused to stand up, instead looking around for cues from their colleagues. "They were all looking around for cues from their colleagues because they didn't have the courage to stand on their own. And that, more than anything, Bill is the saddest commentary on the Democratic Party," Vance asserted.
Vance continued his criticism, suggesting that Democrats lacked both principle and courage: "That not only will they not stand for the idea that Americans should come first, they won't even have the courage of their convictions, they lean on the person to their left and their right, rather than actually have some conviction."
Democratic Leaders Offer Starkly Different Assessments
While conservative voices praised Trump's speech, Democratic leaders offered scathing critiques. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), who walked out during the address, expressed his frustration on Bluesky, writing, "I couldn't sit through hours of Trump's lies" and asserting that "Americans know the truth: he's spiking prices and wrecking our economy. We're a better country than this."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) characterized the president's address as a "state of delusion," while Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered a blunt assessment, calling the speech "lazy." These contrasting reactions highlight the deep political divisions that characterized both the State of the Union event and its aftermath, with Vance's comments adding fuel to an already contentious political fire.
