Impeachment done, Pelosi unburdens herself about Trump

President Donald Trump was gone, House lights were dimming, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi looked up to her friends and family in gallery overhead. She held up speech she had shredded behind Trump's back, on live television. She put her hand to her heart, dipped her head and gave a little bow.

moment showcased Pelosi's sharper, less-restrained approach to nation's 45th president at bitter end of impeachment saga she led. w, she's leading House Democrats out of impeachment's shadow, through regular legislative business and toward Election Day in vember. And though re's sign Pelosi herself is exiting political st, re's abundant evidence that she's unburdening herself of any lingering restraint when it comes to Trump.

And that's saying something, considering her unapologetic style when it comes to him. She smirked and clapped, eye-to-eye with him at last year's State of Union. In private, she questioned president's manhood. And she stalked out of a White House meeting with him in October, bluntly suggesting president is controlled by his counterpart in Russia.

But her speech-shredding on Tuesday night appeared to mark a pointier, post-impeachment phase, one Trump's reelection campaign quickly sought to monetize.

“Wow. Nancy ripped my speech. She truly hates America,” said a text Wednesday as part of an effort to raise $2 million in 24 hours.

As furious Republicans piled on condemnation, Pelosi brandished ripped paper in full view of reporters and repeated in hallways that she “tore it up.”

“I felt very liberated last night," Pelosi told House Democrats in ir private caucus meeting Wednesday, according to a Democratic aide in room, who spoke on condition of anymity to discuss remarks. She said she viewed Trump's remarks as “a pack of lies” on everything from health care to Medicare and Medicaid.

“We saw president of United States shred truth right in front of us," she said. "My friends, we just have to declare it.”

That's what Pelosi said she was doing during Trump's address to nation, in which he extolled a “great American comeback” and drew on falsehoods about U.S. energy supremacy, health care and ecomy. Trump was speaking from a place of strength, with Republican Party mostly solidly behind him, on brink of his Senate acquittal Wednesday.

For Pelosi and Democrats, address was a much more glum event. party had a political hangover from debacle Monday night in Iowa, whose kickoff caucuses ended in delays, fury and mockery from Republicans. House's impeachment of Trump, with its huge political risks for majority Democrats, was about to be dispatched by Republican-led Senate. y booed and groaned, but more often, just sat as Trump spoke.

Trump's speech Tuesday night on Pelosi's turf was first time two had been in same room since Pelosi stalked out of White House meeting in October. It was bookended by competing snubs: Trump appeared to igre Pelosi's outstretched hand when he arrived on podium. She gave a look to her caucus, with a wide grin.

Trump again kept his back mostly turned to her when he finished. Inches behind him, Pelosi gared speech's ps and ripped m — once, twice, three times and a fourth — as he left chamber. That's when she held up navy folio with gold letters that contained what remained of address.

In fact, Pelosi has been freer with her thoughts on Trump and Republicans for a while. She was tably less restrained during a Jan. 15-floor speech on day House sent two articles of impeachment to Senate for trial.

She began by addressing Rep. Doug Collins, a Georgia Republican who had said Democrats are “in love with terrorists” and n apologized for his remark.

“I want to thank distinguished gentleman from Georgia for his apology for his ridiculous remarks about me and House Democrats,” Pelosi said, looking at Collins.

n she took aim at Trump's July 25 phone call that forms cornerstone of his impeachment case. During conversation, Trump asked president of Ukraine to do “favour” of investigating former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. Pelosi likened Trump's style to that of mobsters in “ Irishman” movie.

n she took a slap at Republicans who had complained that she'd led a rush to impeachment and n slowed down process by refusing for a month to send articles to Senate.

“Don't talk to me about my timing,” she said, glaring at m from well of House. “For a long time, I resisted calls from across country for impeachment,” she said. “I held back.”

That changed with revelations about Trump's political pressure on Ukraine. House passed articles nearly by party line on Dec. 18.

By Wednesday, Republicans were predicting Democrats would pay a political price for Pelosi's conduct, which y suggested was a stunt.

"I think it was a new low,” Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday on "Fox & Friends.” He accused Pelosi of trying to make evening “about her and I think American people see through it.”