‘Insulting and disrespectful’: Suburban Democratic lawmakers slam Trump’s address to Congress
While President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress had his fellow Republicans on their feet Tuesday night, the Democrats who comprise the delegation serving the North, West and Northwest suburbs didn’t have a kind word to say about the speech.
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg blasted Trump for choosing to “brag about his electoral victory, attack his political rivals and inexplicably threaten Greenland” rather than spending significant time discussing the need to lower costs for American families.
Krishnamoorthi, who represents the 8th District, noted Trump never mentioned the word “Medicaid” in his 100-minute speech despite having presented a federal budget that could result in funding cuts for the health care program.
“ (That’s) absolutely worth mentioning,” Krishnamoorthi said in a news release.
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Highland Park said Trump’s speech was “chock full of lies.”
“Absent from his hollow promises were any real solutions to the challenges that are facing the American people: high prices, a weakening economy, housing prices through the roof and affordable health care out of reach,” the 10th District’s Schneider said in a release.
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston was among the Democrats who skipped the speech in protest. But that didn’t stop Schakowsky, who represents Illinois’ 9th District, from subsequently accusing Trump of attacking members of the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants and public schools, among other groups and institutions.
“I found this speech insulting and disrespectful to millions, including myself,” Schakowsky said in a release from her office.
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, a Chicagoan who serves the largely suburban 5th District, boycotted the speech, too. He addressed many of Trump’s points on social media as the president spoke, including an early attack on transgender student-athletes competing in girls sports.
Despite Trump’s ongoing persecution, the number of transgender kids in sports is minuscule, Quigley said, “and they are NOT a threat to their peers.”
Quigley also took a swipe at Trump adviser Elon Musk and the billionaire’s Department of Government Efficiency team, saying they have “turned critical public safety programs to rubble” as they orchestrated mass layoffs, accessed computer systems and destroyed data, canceled contracts and taken other action within various federal agencies despite not having the constitutional authority to do so.
“This isn't efficiency,” Quigley said. “It is chaos and corruption.”
U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, a Chicagoan whose 3rd District includes some Western suburbs, also used social media to publicly lambaste Trump as he spoke.
“Trump should be working on making life more affordable for working families,” she said. “While his tax cuts don't apply to you, his outrageous tariffs will only make everyday products that we buy more expensive.”
Locating a federal lawmaker from Illinois who had something positive to say about Trump’s speech required a trip downstate, where all three of the state’s Republican congressional representatives serve.
U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood of the Peoria area and the 16th District said Trump “laid out an inspiring vision” Tuesday night.
“It is because of Republican leadership in Congress and this Administration that our country is in a much stronger position today than we were a year ago,” LaHood said in a statement released on social media.
As an Illinoisan, LaHood was in the minority with his praise, however.
The state’s senior senator, Democrat Dick Durbin, used social media to criticize Trump for declaring he’s working toward peace in Ukraine less than a week after arguing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
“Our allies, especially Ukraine, deserve more than President Donald Trump’s feeble support,” Durbin wrote.
Durbin accused Trump of “grandstanding” Tuesday night.
“What we witnessed tonight was hubris in its highest form,” Durbin wrote.