Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) on Thursday expressed no regrets for tearing President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech, saying she did it to get the "attention of the American people."
"It was necessary to get the attention of the American people to say this is not true and this is how it affects you," Pelosi said during her weekly press conference. "I don't need any lessons from anybody, especially the president of the United States, about dignity."
CNN's Manu Raju asked Pelosi whether she stepped over her message to Democrats about being "dignified" by tearing up Trump's speech. She responded, "No, I did not. I tore up a manifesto of mistruths."
During his speech, Trump touted the strong economy, coordinated a reunion between Sgt. 1st Class Townsend Williams, who was returning from Afghanistan, and his family, and honored a Tuskegee Airman.
"I think it was completely and entirely appropriate and considering some of the other exuberances within me, the courteous thing to do," Pelosi concluded.
She was initially asked after the State of the Union about why she tore up the speech, prompting her to say, "It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternative."