Donald Trump takes swipe at Mitt Romney and Nancy Pelosi at prayer breakfast

President Donald Trump holds up a newspaper with the headline that reads "ACQUITTED" at the 68th annual National Prayer Breakfast, at the Washington Hilton. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

President Donald Trump holds up a newspaper with the headline that reads "ACQUITTED" at the 68th annual National Prayer Breakfast, at the Washington Hilton. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

Published Feb 6, 2020

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Washington - US President Donald Trump on

Thursday accused some of those who supported his impeachment of

hypocritically cloaking themselves in their faith, in a thinly

veiled attack on Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and

Senator Mitt Romney, the sole Republican to vote to convict him

in his trial.

"I don't like people who use their faith as justification

for doing what they know is wrong. Nor do I like people who say,

'I pray for you,' when they know that that's not so," Trump, a

Republican, said at an annual bipartisan prayer breakfast.

They were Trump's first public remarks since the

Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday acquitted him over

charges that he abused his power and obstructed Congress in a

nearly party-line vote.

Pelosi, a Catholic who launched the impeachment inquiry in

September, said in December that she does not hate Trump and

that she prays for him. Romney, a Mormon, said in an emotional

speech before the vote on Wednesday that his faith compelled him

to vote to convict Trump.

As Trump arrived at the annual gathering of lawmakers and

faith leaders, typically one of the few harmonious events in the

nation's deeply divided capital, he held up two newspapers that

mentioned his acquittal.

He did not greet Pelosi, who sat with him on the stage. When

Pelosi spoke, he scowled, folded his arms and turned away.

It was the second display of animosity between the two

leaders in less than 48 hours. During Tuesday's State of the

Union speech, Trump refused to shake Pelosi's hand and the House

of Representatives' top Democrat ripped up a copy of his speech

just behind him as the cameras rolled.

Pelosi later said she ripped up the copy of the speech

because it was full of lies. 

Reuters

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