Democratic Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan left Tuesday evening’s State of the Union address early, explaining that he had “had enough.”
Ryan, who announced a short-lived campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination last April, explained the move in a tweet after leaving the House floor. (RELATED: ‘Rough Night’: Parkland Father Fred Guttenberg Explains Outburst That Got Him Escorted From SOTU)
“I just walked out of the #StateOfTheUnion. I’ve had enough. It’s like watching professional wrestling. It’s all fake,” Ryan tweeted.
I just walked out of the #StateOfTheUnion. I’ve had enough. It’s like watching professional wrestling. It’s all fake.
— Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) February 5, 2020
He had previously complained about President Donald Trump’s assertions that the economy was doing well, tweeting, “The President spent the first half of his #SOTU speech talking about how great the economy is for American workers, but if that’s true, why are so many Ohioans working 2 or 3 jobs and struggling to make ends meet?”
The President spent the first half of his #SOTU speech talking about how great the economy is for American workers, but if that’s true, why are so many Ohioans working 2 or 3 jobs and struggling to make ends meet?
— Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) February 5, 2020
Ryan was far from the only Democrat to show his displeasure during the president’s address. According to Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spent some of her time “muttering” and when Trump concluded his remarks, she made a show of ripping up her copy of the speech. Several Democrats, including New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and California Rep. Maxine Waters, refused to attend altogether.