The Olympian | Which of WA’s federal lawmakers will skip State of the Union? ‘He is anti-Black’
By: Simone Carter
President Donald Trump is delivering his State of the Union address Tuesday night, capping a year into his second term. At least six members of Washington’s congressional delegation reportedly won’t be there.
U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland, whose district spans parts of Pierce and Thurston counties, said during a Monday night CNN appearance that she will not attend Trump’s speech.
“I am not going to Trump’s State of the Union address because he is anti-Black,” she said. “He has taken so many actions during this administration that show he does not care about Black people.”
Strickland pointed to moves including the firing of public employees, many of whom are Black, and Trump’s push to give military bases new names honoring Confederate soldiers.
Reached for comment, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told McClatchy via email that congressional Democrats have voted against securing the border, deporting criminals who are here in the country illegally, modernizing the military, and tax cuts helping working- and middle-class Americans.
“The list goes on,” Jackson said. “It’s not a surprise that they refuse to celebrate and honor the Americans who have benefitted from the commonsense policies Republicans have governed with.”
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray also said she would not attend Tuesday’s event.
Hours ahead of Trump’s speech, Murray is holding her own virtual address to Washington state, her office announced in a Feb. 24 news release. She’s expected to condemn the president’s economic agenda and federal cuts to food benefits and Medicaid.
Murray will be joined by constituents with examples of how “Trump’s destructive policies are hurting American families everywhere,” the release says.
The livestreamed event will be held Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. Pacific Time.
News releases from Strickland and Murray referred to recent polling suggesting that Trump’s approval ratings are low, particularly among independents.
The president’s address comes after the U.S. Supreme Court dealt his tariff policy a blow last week, and amid increased scrutiny surrounding the Epstein files.
Other Washington Democrats who said they will not attend Trump’s address are U.S. representatives Emily Randall, Pramila Jayapal, Rick Larsen and Adam Smith, according to KING 5.
Democracy Now! reports that several boycotting Democratic lawmakers will host a “People’s State of the Union” rally on the National Mall instead. Other politicians expected to attend the rally include senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota, and representatives Greg Casar of Texas, Delia Ramirez of Illinois and Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey.