I walked out because I didn’t want to waste my time listening to lies and flattery for billionaires

I walked out during Trump’s address last night. I could not tolerate one more second or stand one more word from that man.

That man who pardoned the January 6th insurrectionists who desecrated the very chamber we were in last night.

That man who has no respect for Congress as a co-equal branch of government.

Who has put us into a constitutional crisis.

Who spews hateful rhetoric and his even more harmful policy.

I walked out because I didn’t want to give an audience to someone who operates with lawless disregard for Congress and the people of this nation.

Donald Trump has used his bully pulpit to spread lies, demonize vulnerable communities, and double down on the hurt, hate, and harm in his first 43 days in office.

He has spent his time in office attacking our communities and letting an un-elected, unaccountable billionaire ransack our federal agencies and gut the essential services our families depend on—all to enrich themselves and their billionaire friends. We have real work to do for the American people, and I’m focused on using my voice and pushing for policies that actually help everyday Americans. This is a movement and it takes all of us. Will you pitch in whatever you can to fuel our fight?

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I went to the joint address last night because I wanted to honor my guest, Claire Bergstresser. Claire is from my district and has been damn good at her job within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Claire is one of hundreds of thousands of federal workers across our nation who have been threatened, abused, and fired for no legitimate reason.

The work she did—helping people in Boston get accessible, fair housing—remains unfinished. Now, there are people in my city who will be unhoused as a result. There’s housing that won’t get built as a result.

This is not “efficient.” This is cruelty. And that is the point.

I showed up last night to honor and make space for Claire, and for other unjustly fired federal employees who were doing critical work for our communities. But there was no way that I could’ve stayed there and listened to that man spread lies and propaganda from that podium.

There is real work to do to make America affordable for working people. That’s what I’m focused on — not normalizing and enabling this authoritarian takeover of our government. If you’re with me, please pitch in $25 or anything you can today to power our progressive movement and fight back against this destructive administration.

Onward,

Ayanna