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Nancy Pelosi literally 'claps back' at Trump's State of the Union

Don't forget this is Nancy's House.

Brian Koerber

on February 5, 2019

Nancy Pelosi literally 'claps back' at Trump's State of the Union

Nancy Pelosi has weaponized her applause. Credit: Doug Mills/Getty Images

This may have been Trump's big night, but let's not forget the State of the Union was delivered in Nancy's House.

President Donald Trump finally gave his 2019 State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, after his initial speech was delayed during the government shut down. And while Trump had the mic, all eyes were on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was seated behind him and delivered a few key reactions to his rhetoric.

The standout moment, however, came when Pelosi appeared to literally "clap back" at Trump from behind the podium -- and it's made for an incredibly powerful image.

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Her applause followed a moment where Trump gave lip service to unifying the country:

"[W]e must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good."

While we don't know whether she was intentionally trying to deliver such withering praise, the image of the Speaker clapping at the president, while wearing all white with an American flag hanging behind her, was a powerful one. And many have clung onto it -- and, yes, meme'd it.