Trump will look out at a sea of women during his State of the Union
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
"Horseface." "Unattractive both inside and out." "Nasty woman." Those are just a few of the insults President Trump has hurled at women over the years. But for the State of the Union on Tuesday, Democrats are preparing a "feminist statement" to contrast with the president's rhetoric, packing the House chamber — and his line of sight — with women, The Associated Press reports.
In addition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who will sit over Trump's shoulder on camera, and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who is presenting the Democratic rebuttal, two former Trump employees, both of whom are women and immigrants and have spoken out against the president's hiring practices, will be looming in the gallery overhead as guests.
Additionally, many of the record number of women House members are planning to wear "suffragette white" to stand out, as they have in years past, in "a declaration that we will not go back on our hard-earned rights," according to Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), the chairwoman of the House Democratic Women's Working Group.
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.
For Democrats, a women-heavy audience is perhaps a particularly important visual as Trump is expected to "reaffirm his commitment to pro-life things," a Republican close to the White House told Politico.
"The American people elected a new Democratic Majority that would end the attacks on women's health care, and fight for preventive care for women," Pelosi said in a statement last month. "Strengthened by the millions of fearless women who continue to stand and march for their health care and rights, the House will fight to protect and build upon the promise of Roe v. Wade."
It won't be hard for Trump to miss which women she's talking about.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
The ‘ravenous’ demand for Cornish mineralsUnder the Radar Growing need for critical minerals to power tech has intensified ‘appetite’ for lithium, which could be a ‘huge boon’ for local economy
-
Why are election experts taking Trump’s midterm threats seriously?IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the president muses about polling place deployments and a centralized electoral system aimed at one-party control, lawmakers are taking this administration at its word
-
‘Restaurateurs have become millionaires’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
NIH director Bhattacharya tapped as acting CDC headSpeed Read Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of the CDC’s Covid-19 response, will now lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
