Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump’s address at the Joint Session of Congress.
“Tonight, as President Trump stood before Congress, I walked out of the chamber because I could not, in good conscience, dignify a speech so detached from reality and so disrespectful to the American people. Once again, President Trump demeaned the dignity of his office and embarrassed our nation with his ignorance of real-world problems and his open contempt for the democracy he swore to protect.
“Rather than offering a vision to unite our country or solutions to the very real challenges facing working families, President Trump instead demonstrated – yet again – that he is unfit to lead the free world. He has neither the capacity nor the desire to meet the pressing needs of families across our nation. He spent more time boasting about his self-serving agenda than addressing the crushing costs keeping families up at night – costs that are rising because of his administration’s disastrous economic policies.
“The tariffs he announced this week threaten to ignite a devastating trade war, driving up prices on everything from groceries to gas, hurting small businesses, and leaving working families to pay the price. Meanwhile, the Republican budget passed last week handed out trillions in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and big corporations, shifting the burden onto middle-class families – all while slashing critical programs like Medicaid and nutrition assistance that millions of families rely on just to get by. This President is dangerously out of touch with the reality of American life – and by reiterating his radical, self-serving agenda tonight, he made clear he has no intention of changing course.
“Even more disturbing than the President’s rhetoric is his relentless assault on the truth itself. His remarks tonight were riddled with falsehoods and deliberate misinformation – part of an ongoing effort to divide Americans against one another and erode public trust in our institutions. His crass language, misleading claims, and blatant disregard for facts are not just beneath the office he holds – they are an attack on the very foundation of our democracy.
“But this President’s reckless behavior does not exist in a vacuum. It is enabled every day by the silence and complicity of my Republican colleagues. As we stand on the brink of a government shutdown that could devastate our economy and hurt millions of Americans, House and Senate Republicans refuse to stand up to this President’s overreach and abuse of power. Instead of serving as a check on his reckless dismantling of vital government services, they applaud it – turning a blind eye to his unconstitutional schemes and the unchecked influence of an unelected, unvetted billionaire pulling the strings behind the scenes.
“Rather than providing the steady leadership our country desperately needs, Republicans in Congress have chosen to shield this President from accountability at every turn – even as he disgraces us on the global stage, undermines our democracy, and wages war on the very values that make America strong. Their refusal to confront the dangers posed by this administration is a profound betrayal of their oath and a direct threat to the future of our nation.
“Republicans have made their priorities clear: they are willing to sacrifice our nation’s future to cling to political power. With majorities in both chambers of Congress and control of the White House, they can no longer hide behind excuses for their failures. They own this chaos.
“The American people deserve better. They deserve leaders who put country over party – leaders with the courage to defend our democracy and fight for the hard-working families who built this nation. I urge my Republican colleagues to reflect on their responsibilities – not to their party, but to their constituents and to the Constitution itself. I urge the President to reflect on his own duty to our nation.
“If and when they are ready to put the American people first, House Democrats stand ready to work together to lower costs, create good-paying jobs, and build safer, healthier communities. Until then, we will not waver in our fight to protect our democracy, defend working families, and stand up for the fundamental principles of fairness, justice, and equality for all.”
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Issues: 119th Congress