Flake rips Trump’s ‘treason’ comment after Democrats don’t clap
Feb 6, 2018, 2:00 PM
PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) ripped President Donald Trump on Tuesday after he said Democrats were treasonous for not clapping during the State of the Union address.
“Have we arrived at such a place of numb acceptance that we have nothing to say when a President of the United States casually suggests that those who choose not to stand or applaud his speech are guilty of treason,” Flake asked on the Senate floor.
The White House said Trump was joking when he made the comment, but Flake said such an accusation can not be treated with humor.
“I have seen the president’s defenders use the now-weary argument that the president’s comments were meant as a joke; only sarcasm, tongue-in-cheek,” Flake said. “But treason is not a punchline, Mr. President.”
Trump made the remark during an Ohio speech on Monday. He said he noted that “half the room” was “going wild” during his State of the Union, while the Democrats primarily remained seated.
“Somebody said treasonous. I mean, yeah, I guess why not,” Trump said. “Can we call that treason? Why not. They certainly didn’t seem to love our country very much.”
Related: Trump calls Democrats ‘un-American’ in Ohio speech
Flake said the president crossed a line with those words.
“Our Democratic colleagues love this country as much as we do,” he said. “To suggest otherwise in unconscionable.”
The senator said the president cannot view applause as a sign of loyalty to either party or country. He also said Trump seemed to go against his own address by criticizing the other side of the aisle.
“The president said that the State of the Union address was meant to promote and encourage unity in government,” he said. “Then why follow up — less than a week later — with this divisive and harmful rhetoric?”
Flake said, should Trump actually want to unite the government, he will have to make some changes and stay away from petty arguments.
“Unity is not secured in a speech,” Flake said. “It must be pursued constantly through appropriate behavior, mutual respect and gained by effective leadership.”
The senator also called upon his fellow lawmakers to take a stand against Trump using such language.
“If we are numb to such words, then we will surely regret that we failed to defend our colleagues in the Congress against a such a vile remark,” he said. “Our silence will also mark the day that we failed to recognize that this conduct, in an American president, simply is not normal.”
