White House: Trump's 'Treasonous' Comment Was 'Tongue in Cheek'

President Donald Trump's controversial crack about Democrats being "treasonous" for not clapping during his State of the Union speech was not meant to be taken seriously, the White House said on Tuesday.

White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley told NBC News the commander in chief was simply being "tongue in cheek:"

WH spokesperson Hogan Gidley tells NBC News President Trump was being "tongue in cheek" yesterday when he accused Democrats of "treason" for not applauding during parts of his State of the Union address.

— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) February 6, 2018

Gidley didn't mention Trump's other remark — that Democrats were "un-American" for failing to give him kudos as he spoke to the nation.

Democrats have been on the warpath over the president's "treasonous" tweak.

Sen. Jeff Merley of Oregon said in a tweet: 

.@realDonaldTrump: "Treasonous" means betraying your country – like, say, if someone colluded with Russia to influence American elections. The freedom not to clap for ideas you disagree with is called the 1st Amendment. https://t.co/0wQaifeiph

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) February 5, 2018

And Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois posted on Twitter: 

We don't live in a dictatorship or a monarchy. I swore an oath—in the military and in the Senate—to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, not to mindlessly cater to the whims of Cadet Bone Spurs and clap when he demands I clap https://t.co/99gW1yalDl

— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) February 6, 2018

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