President Trump proudly displayed two newspapers with blaring “Acquitted” headlines Thursday morning, waving them before a National Prayer Breakfast audience in his first appearance since he was declared not guilty in his Senate impeachment trial.I know, shocking that Pelosi would actually even show up for the prayer breakfast...but at least the President served the Speaker a little dessert!
The president brandished the headlines mere feet from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after both arrived at the breakfast.
Trump first picked up a USA Today newspaper and presented it before the audience. He then put it down and picked up a copy of Thursday’s Washington Post, which had a similar headline.
He later addressed the audience and took some not-so-subtle swipes at Pelosi once more.President @realDonaldTrump holds up a newspaper with the headline “ACQUITTED” in front of @SpeakerPelosi at the #NationalPrayerBreakfast 🤣 pic.twitter.com/hHhmtmzkai— Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) February 6, 2020
"I don't like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong, nor do I like people who say 'I pray for you' when you know that is not so," he said. Pelosi had publicly said during the impeachment process that she and fellow Democrats were "prayerful" and that she prays for the president.
Trump also called impeachment a "terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people."
For Trump, the moment was payback not only for impeachment but her conduct at the close of Tuesday's State of the Union address.
ADDENDUM: Following prayer breakfast comments the morning after his Senate acquittal, President Trump officially addressed the nation, thanking the ‘incredible warriors’ who stood with him through this ‘crooked’ impeachment...
President Donald Trump delivered a speech to the nation Thursday celebrating his impeachment trial acquittal the day before, blasting the process as “crooked” and thanking the “incredible warriors” who sided with him during the ordeal.
Trump described the event as a celebration of another victory over the “evil” forces allied against him.
“Today is the day to celebrate these great warriors, right?” Trump said. “These are great warriors. They really fought hard for us.” The president’s address was populated with Cabinet members and staffers, as well as activists and allies. ...
Trump’s legal team was also present and got a standing ovation. “Great job,” he told them.
“Mitch McConnell, I want to tell you, you did a fantastic job,” he said, praising the Senate Majority Leader for outsmarting his opposition.Remember all of this for NOVEMBER!!
“This guy is great,” Trump said. “He’s a tough guy to read… that’s what makes him good.”
“There were some who used religion as a crutch,” Trump said, mocking “failed presidential candidate” Sen. Mitt Romney.
Trump singled out Mike Lee — Romney’s senior colleague representing Utah — for praise, asking him to tell the people of their state “sorry for Mitt Romney.”
He ripped Democrats like House Oversight Chairman Adam Schiff (“a failed screenwriter”) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (“a horrible person”), mocking the House Speaker’s insistence that she was praying for the president. “I doubt she prays at all,” he said.
Trump denounced the entire process as “crooked politics” from senators who were also running for president in 2020. ...
“It was all bullshit,” Trump said about the “Russia, Russia, Russia” hoax and the Robert Mueller investigation and FBI surveillance. The president mused about whether he should sue former MI6 spy Christopher Steele for the discredited oppo-research dossier which gave cover for federal surveillance of his campaign.
Trump noted that he was under attack from the establishment since the beginning, criticizing several D.C. operatives as “dirty cops,” “leakers,” and “liars.”
At the end of the speech, the president recognized his family for sticking through the process.
“I want to apologize to my family for having them go through a phony rotten deal by some very evil and sick people,” Trump said, singling out Ivanka and Barron Trump. First Lady Melania Trump also joined the president on the stage as the room applauded.
He thanked his family for remaining loyal to him throughout the entire impeachment process.
“They stuck with me and I’m so glad I did it, because we are making progress and we are doing things for our great people,” Trump said.
