Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley will boycott Trump's 'sham' State of the Union address
- Freshman Democratic congresswomen Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez both announced on Tuesday that they won't attend President Donald Trump's Tuesday night State of the Union address.
- "I will not use my presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump's lawless conduct & subversion of the Constitution," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
- The national address, which will draw one of Trump's largest audiences of the year, comes just a day before the Senate is set to acquit Trump in his impeachment trial.
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Freshman Democratic congresswomen Ayanna Pressley and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez both announced on Tuesday that they won't attend President Donald Trump's Tuesday night State of the Union address.
"After much deliberation, I have decided that I will not use my presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump's lawless conduct & subversion of the Constitution," Ocasio-Cortez of New York tweeted. "None of this is normal, and I will not legitimize it."
Ocasio-Cortez called it a "deeply personal decision" that she "did not take lightly" and said she'd answer questions in an Instagram Live session on Tuesday evening.
Pressley called Trump's address a "sham" and said she "cannot in good conscience" attend the event.
"The State of the Union is hurting because of the occupant of the White House, who consistently demonstrates contempt for the American people, contempt for Congress & contempt for our constitution," Pressley said in a statement.
The national address, which will draw one of Trump's largest audiences of the year, comes just a day before the Senate is set to acquit Trump in his impeachment trial.
The two progressive lawmakers are one half of the so-called "Squad," which also includes Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, and often stick together on controversial votes and decisions.