Schumer slams Trump's State of the Union as 'highly partisan,' pushes back on economic claims

Posted at 11:26 AM, Feb 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-05 11:26:35-05

Senate Minority Chuck Schumer slammed President Donald Trump's State of the Union address as "highly partisan" Wednesday in an impassioned speech on the Senate floor.

"It was a sad moment for Democracy," Schumer said.

Schumer compared Trump's speech to a reality show and a Trump rally, calling it too partisan to speak to all Americans.

"This is not what presidents do," he said.

Schumer also pushed back on the economic claims Trump made in his address, claiming that the economy is growing at roughly the same rate as it did under the Obama administration.

Schumer also noted that while Trump claimed that manufacturing jobs have increased, that such jobs have decreased since Trump began waging trade wars with China late last year. Trump just signed a preliminary trade deal with China that lifts some tariffs on imports.

Schumer became most animated when hitting back on Trump's claims about gains his administration has made for people with preexisting conditions.

"This president lies, just lies," Schumer said. "He's in court, right now, trying to undo the protections for preexisting conditions."

The Trump administration is currently in a legal battle, arguing that the Affordable Care Act should be tossed out. The administration argues that because it has removed the individual mandate, the law can no longer be considered a tax and should be thrown out.

"The claim is not partly true; it's not half-true, it's not misleading. It's is flat, objectively, unequivocally false. Let's call it for what it is; it's a lie," Schumer said about Trump's promise to fight for people with preexisting conditions.

Schumer's speech comes hours before the Senate is scheduled to vote on Trump's impeachment. Schumer said he would deliver another address about impeachment and the trial itself prior to the vote.