President Donald Trump boasted about record numbers of women joining the American workforce during his State of the Union address Tuesday night, and one of his potential 2020 opponents made a keen observation.
“No one has benefited more from our thriving economy than women, who have filled 58 percent of the newly created jobs last year,” Trump said. The line was met with thunderous applause within a group of newly elected Democratic women in Congress, who wore white to honor the women's suffrage movement.
“You weren’t supposed to do that,” Trump joked. “All Americans can be proud that we have more women in the workforce than ever before,” he added. “Don’t sit yet, you’re going to like this.”
Trump also acknowledged the centennial anniversary of women winning the right to vote.
“And exactly one century after the Congress passed the constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote, we also have more women serving in Congress than at any time before," Trump said. “That’s great. And congratulations."
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who is running for president in 2020, tweeted after the speech that opposition to Trump is what catapulted a record number of women - 117 - to Congress in 2018.
"President Trump seems not to understand that the female jobs he created were Democratic women in Congress," the Senator wrote.
President Trump seems not to understand that the female jobs he created were Democratic women in Congress.— Kirsten Gillibrand (@Kirsten Gillibrand) 1549425969.0
The irony was lost on Trump since 100 of the freshman women are Democrats.
Most memorable moment from tonight was the celebration of newly elected Dem women members of Congress. President T… https://t.co/mE5DbV6rsj— Matthew Dowd (@Matthew Dowd) 1549427117.0
@SenGillibrand Well he did help them all to get elected. 😊— Donna Leone (@Donna Leone) 1549435309.0
@SenGillibrand Omg he tried to take credit for the woman's movement? I'll give him that. But NEVER the credit for woman's success— Kat Mcd (@Kat Mcd) 1549465204.0
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) also remarked on Trump omitting the fact that the vast majority of women elected in 2018 are Democrats.
"I liked when he acknowledged there was the largest number of women," Pelosi told reporters.
Trump, however, "forgot to acknowledge it's only 15, what is it, 15 Republicans and 91 Democratic women in the Congress of the United States on the House side," the Speaker told said. "So it was like weird you’re bringing this up," she added. "And I loved the way the women just rose to the occasion."
Watch below:
Pelosi says she liked President Trump acknowledging the women in Congress BUT that he forgot to mention they were m… https://t.co/D4y1jMY1cP— Bo Erickson CBS (@Bo Erickson CBS) 1549428784.0
Does Trump realize opposition to his policies are the reason women are taking over? Probably not.
What he doesn’t acknowledge of course is that these women he ’s lauding got elected to stand up against him and his… https://t.co/vSfQRVurxh— Michelangelo Signorile (@Michelangelo Signorile) 1549421467.0
Yes, Trump just took credit for electing a record number of women to Congress....And he's right about that. https://t.co/1Q7MVVing6— David Corn (@David Corn) 1549421679.0
@SenGillibrand Right. And he definitely helped them land their jobs. The irony is on him.— Marty Vidnovic (@Marty Vidnovic) 1549429757.0
Trump deserves credit for the influx of women to Congress. They all ran to oppose him. (And virtually all are Dems.)— David Rothkopf (@David Rothkopf) 1549421353.0
Trump taking credit for there being more women in Congress is like the Fyre Fest guy saying "You're welcome for the documentaries!!" #SOTU— Chase Mitchell (@Chase Mitchell) 1549421657.0
Still, the advancement of women is good for everyone.
One part where Trump was right tonight: There are more than 100 women in Congress now and he can take a bit of cr… https://t.co/9H3Kfx9JZH— Congressmember Bass (@Congressmember Bass) 1549421651.0
@ChaseMit Well, one could argue that more women were elected because women despise him, so, I guess he could take backhanded credit for that— John Samson (@John Samson) 1549421845.0
@ChaseMit @MEPFuller I think there ARE more women because of Trump, but because of his attitudes towards women. The… https://t.co/INYIUxoaAT— Bill Nigh (@Bill Nigh) 1549452597.0
@BrianKarem @realDonaldTrump They’re trolling him. 😂— IWantNothing McIntosh 🇨🇦 (@IWantNothing McIntosh 🇨🇦) 1549421431.0
@BrianKarem @realDonaldTrump They’re mocking him, but he doesn’t realize it.— Eileen Andes (@Eileen Andes) 1549421845.0
Whoosh.