AFT President Criticizes Trump's State of the Union for Lack of Empathy

WASHINGTON

AFT President Randi Weingarten responded to President Donald Trump's recent State of the Union address with critical remarks.

“Trump is a master of theater, but he lacks empathy and unity. So if you can’t make ends meet, or your housing or child care or healthcare costs are too high, this speech told you that you don’t matter,” Weingarten stated.

She expressed concern that the President's declaration of having "made America great again" fails to address the struggles of millions of Americans. Weingarten noted, “He has declared that he’s made America great again, so for the millions of Americans struggling or striving, there’s not one word of help. For millions of children, not one word about their future. For working people, the same.”

Weingarten emphasized the importance of focusing on mutual support, saying, “We all love the USA and are proud of our military and our Olympians, but a State of the Union address should be about how we help each other, and that was sorely absent.”

The AFT represents 1.8 million individuals, including pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; employees of federal, state, and local governments; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.