WASHINGTON — House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined fellow GOP lawmakers in denouncing Speaker Nancy Pelosi's ripping of President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech, saying her actions were "unbecoming of a speaker."
"I thought it was disgraceful. It's unbecoming of a speaker," Scalise told CBS News' Major Garrett in a podcast published Friday. "Frankly, Speaker Pelosi should apologize as well, because it's not the image she should want to portray as the speaker of the House."
As Trump finished speaking Tuesday night, Pelosi ripped up her copy of the State of the Union speech behind the president on camera. After Trump left, Pelosi waved what remained of the printed speech to her family in the gallery.
Pelosi defended her comments on C-SPAN Thursday, calling the president's address "a reality show" and repeating her statement from Tuesday that the speech was "a manifesto of mistruths."
"I tore up a manifesto of mistruths. I don’t need any lessons from anybody, especially the president of the United States, about dignity,” Pelosi said.
As expected, Scalise and fellow Republicans have continued to condemn Pelosi's conduct, with several going as far as to call the speaker unfit to serve. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) filed an ethics complaint against the speaker that incorrectly claimed Pelosi's actions may have broken federal law.
"I think she at a minimum owes a deep apology to the president and the country," Scalise said.
Pelosi's rip has become a major taking point for both parties since Tuesday's address and has largely overshadowed the president's message. It also comes during a difficult week for Democrats, who are in the middle of a presidential nomination fight.
Trump was acquitted of two impeachment charges during a Senate trial that ended Wednesday.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.