When President Trump casually proposed in a Monday speech that Democrats who did not clap for him during his State of the Union address are "treasonous," he was totes joking around, you guys!
So says White House representative Hogan Gidley, who in a Tuesday statement to NBC News said Trump was merely being "tongue in cheek." The president's point, in NBC's paraphrase, was "that all Americans, regardless of political party, should applaud positive news for the country," Gidley said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Detentions and hostile treatment: is it safe to visit the US?The Explainer Spate of interrogations and deportations at US border sparking decline in overseas visitors
-
The financial changes to expect in 'Awful April'The Explainer As the new financial year begins, it brings changes for bills, wages and tax
-
Sudoku hard: April 2, 2025The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
WHCA rejects White House press seating grabSpeed Read The White House Correspondents' Association objected to the Trump administration's bid to control where journalists sit during press briefings
-
Trump sends more migrants to El Salvador jailSpeed Read Another 17 Venezuelan alleged gang members have been deported to a notorious prison
-
Trump 'not joking' about unconstitutional 3rd termSpeed Read The president seems to be serious about seeking a third term in 2028
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictionsSpeed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto importsSpeed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunderSpeed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ousterSpeed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
