McGovern, Neal slam Trump’s State of the Union address

President Donald Trump addressed the nation in his State of the Union Tuesday night — a speech in which he mixed a message of triumph, claiming that he has pivoted the country toward its “golden age,” while taunting Democrats across the aisle.

In response, members of the area’s congressional delegation expressed dismay with the president’s claims.

U.S. Reps. Jim McGovern and Richard Neal and Sen. Ed Markey all chose to boycott the state of the union address. McGovern, in a written statement released on Wednesday, criticized the president’s purported success to bolster the nation’s economy and public safety, calling Trump’s remarks cult-like “lies.”

“He spewed lie after lie after lie. He lied so much, it would make Kim Jong Un blush. And Republicans applauded time after time — because they are in a cult,” McGovern stated. “This administration always finds time for another tax break, another loophole, another giveaway if you’re rich and powerful. That’s exactly what he did in his Big Ugly Bill. But if you’re a worker trying to keep up with rent, a parent struggling with childcare costs, or a senior deciding which prescription to skip this month — the White House doesn’t care about you at all.”

In advance of the State of the Union address, Neal posted a video of himself explaining his reasons for watching the speech remotely on Facebook. He said that while the State of the Union is supposed to be an honest assessment of where the county stands, he expected that Trump’s speech would be filled with misinformation.

“[The State of the Union] is supposed to be a dignified moment when the American people come together to hear from a leader who outlines facts,” Neal said. “Tonight, I’m sure, will be loaded with disinformation in an effort to misconstrue the facts as they relate to where the American family is at the moment and the issue of affordability.”

McGovern said the president’s “demented rambling” on the economy does not change the high cost of living Americans face as they shop for groceries or pay their utility bills. He also slammed Trump’s claims that he has lowered health care costs and prescription drug prices, arguing that the president’s gutting of Medicare and Medicaid has pushed the costs of health care on to some of the more vulnerable members of society.

In response to Trump’s claim that the country is safer than it’s ever been, McGovern wrote that it was a blatant “lie,” given the presence of armed federal agents in American cities, at least two of whom have shot and killed American citizens.

McGovern summarized his response by arguing that despite promises or claims that the country is in its “golden age, the nation’s reality remains “dystopian.”

“Above all, the President spent tonight laying out a dystopian vision for our future: a country where the rich get richer, the economy is rigged for those at the top, and the truth gets buried. He’s turned the presidency into a grift — public power for personal profit — padding his family’s pockets and rewarding the cronies who keep the scheme going,” McGovern said. “And because that kind of corruption can’t survive real scrutiny, he’s trying to lock in power by rigging the next election via voter suppression. The American people need lower costs, safer communities, and a government that works for them. Instead, tonight, the President delivered a self-worshipping propaganda reel—bragging, blaming, and lying to cover up his failures. What a pathetic joke.”

McGovern’s remarks were echoed by Sen. Ed Markey, who referred to Trump’s State of the Union as being a “lies-a-palooza,” rather than a moment of truth. Markey called for Trump’s impeachment and the removal of his appointees, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FBI Director Kash Patel and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

Markey also criticized Trump’s deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to American cities, economic policy and cuts to social programming such as Medicare and Social Security.

“We must defund and abolish ICE and get ICE out of our cities. We must remove RFK Jr. from any public health position that puts lives at risk. We must say out loud that vaccines work. We must fire Kristi Noem and Kash Patel for their lawlessness and complicity in the crimes we have seen committed right before our very eyes,” Markey stated. “We must reverse Trump’s disastrous tax cuts for the wealthy — and instead invest that in relief for working families. We must save Medicare and Social Security and expand funding for Medicaid. We don’t need endless warfare – we need universal health care.” 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who attended the State of the Union address, remained seated and withheld her applause after most of Trump’s remarks, but stood and applauded when the president promised to end insider trading on Wall Street.

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