February 5, 2019

Donald Trump Just Tried to Take Credit for Electing the Most Women to Congress Ever

The Democratic women wouldn’t give it to him.

Women members of Congress cheer after President Donald Trump acknowledges more women in Congress during his 2019 State of the Union address.J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

During Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night, the president took credit for a strong economy and noted that women had particularly benefited from job creation. The Democratic women of the 116th Congress—most of whom donned white in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote—used the applause line to steal the president’s spotlight and call attention to the fact that there were more women in Congress than ever before.

“You weren’t supposed to do that!” the president shouted, departing from the script.

The formal remarks did include an acknowledgment of the fact that there are more women serving in Congress than ever before—”Don’t sit yet, you’re going to like this,” Trump said. And as he did, Democrats broke out in a “USA” chant.

Take the next step: Help us fight for the truth.

Investigative journalism, like the story you just read, takes time to do. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices.

We can afford to take that time because we don’t report to an oligarch or corporation with a special agenda. We report to you, and for you. That’s why we unabashedly pursue the truth and relentlessly shine a light into the darkness.

In this month’s Summer Membership Drive, we’ve got to raise $200,000 to support more crucial investigations. This is a pivotal moment in our nation, with democracy on the line, and we can only do this work because readers like you step up. Every donation, of any amount, makes a difference here. We cannot do this work without you.

So, we’re asking: Will you support independent journalism that demands those in power answer for their actions?

Take the next step: Help us fight for the truth.

Investigative journalism, like the story you just read, takes time to do. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices

We can afford to take that time because we don’t report to an oligarch or corporation with a special agenda. We report to you, and for you. That’s why we unabashedly pursue the truth and relentlessly shine a light into the darkness.

In this month’s Summer Membership Drive, we’ve got to raise $200,000 to support more crucial investigations. This is a pivotal moment in our nation, with democracy on the line, and we can only do this work because readers like you step up. Every donation, of any amount, makes a difference here. We cannot do this work without you.

So, we’re asking: Will you support independent journalism that demands those in power answer for their actions?

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

INDEPENDENT. BECAUSE OF YOU.

Mother Jones has no billionaires calling the shots—just readers like you making fearless reporting possible

Donate