Pelosi unleashes a 'tear-able' pun to explain why she ripped up Trump's speech


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) got her gifable moment of the year Tuesday night when, after President Trump finished his State of the Union, she promptly ripped the speech up behind his head. She was happy to defend her decision that night, and, when asked about it again on Wednesday, broke out a solid pun to explain how she prepared for the big moment while Trump was still speaking.
"I didn't go in there to tear up the speech," Pelosi said Wednesday. "But I'm a speed reader," Pelosi continued, and once she realized Trump was "selling a bill of goods like a snake oil salesman," she "started to stack my papers in a way that were tear-able — and terrible." That facilitated an optimal rip once Trump was through.
Pelosi worked out a few more catchy defenses of the tear during a closed-door meeting with her caucus on Wednesday, sources in the room told Politico. "He shredded the truth, so I shredded his speech," Pelosi reportedly said, adding that the move made her feel "liberated."
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firings
Speed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department