President Donald Trump turns to House speaker Nancy Pelosi as she stands to applaud him. Photo / AP
President Donald Trump turns to House speaker Nancy Pelosi as she stands to applaud him. Photo / AP
Unity in American politics was a running theme during Donald Trump's second State of the Union address.
But there was one particular comment that brought the entire house together for the first time in the President's speech to both houses of the US Congress.
"No one has benefited more from our thriving economy, than women, who have filled 58 per cent of the newly created jobs last year," Trump said, prompting a cluster of Democratic women to stand up and applaud in union.
President Donald Trump turns to House speaker Nancy Pelosi as she stands to applaud him. Photo / AP
"You weren't supposed to do that," he said, clearly pleased at the reaction.
At this, one of the President's fiercest rivals — Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — stood up with her hands raised. She urged all the Democrats to stand and applaud as the whole chamber broke out into chants of "USA!" USA!"
Trump's eldest daughter Ivanka was also seen beaming and clapping, alongside her husband Jared Kushner.
It was the first remark in his speech that prompted every person in the chamber to stand and applaud in unity.
But while Trump had the whole chamber clapping, New York Times fact checkers concluded later that his statement about there being more women in the workforce than ever before was a little misleading.
"The number of women in the workforce reached a new high in December, though it then declined slightly in January," they noted. "But that's a result of population growth. The percentage of American women with jobs peaked in 2000 at 58 per cent. As of January, it was just 55.2 per cent."
The House Democratic Women's Working Group invited all women attending the address to wear white in honour of the legacy of women's suffrage in the US. It was also seen as a reference to the #MeToo movement.
President Donald Trump's remark prompted every person in the chamber to stand and applaud in unity. Photo / AP
Earlier, Pelosi was caught rolling her eyes as Donald Trump gave his State of the Union speech.
Trump has used the speech to urge Americans to "choose greatness".
But he couldn't resist a quick jab at the Democrats and Robert Mueller's investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the presidential election.
After noting America's economy as the "envy of the world", he attacked "ridiculous partisan investigations".
"The only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics, or ridiculous partisan investigations," he said.
Members of Congress cheer after President Donald Trump acknowledges more women in Congress. Photo / AP
"If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation. It just doesn't work that way! We must be united at home to defeat our adversaries abroad."
The line prompted a notable scoff from Pelosi, seated behind him.
