Pelosi defends tearing copy of Trump's speech

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has defended her decision to tear up a copy of President Donald Trump State of the Union address, saying her actions was justified, media reports said.

"I tore up a manifesto of mistruths," Pelosi said on Thursday while addressing the media at the Capitol Hill.

"It was necessary to get the attention of the American people to say, 'This is not true. And this is how it affects you'. And I don't need any lessons from anyone, especially the President of the US, about dignity," the senior Democrat added "We do not want the chamber of the House of Representatives to be used as a backdrop for one of his reality shows."

On Tuesday, Trump delivered to the joint session of Congress in Washington the drama-packed speech that sounded like a prelude to his campaign for re-election and stirred the antagonism of the Democrats.

Pelosi, in an unprecedented show of hostility, ripped up the copy of Trump's address dramatically and threw it on the desk as soon as he ended his speech.

Ahead of his speech, Trump also ignored a handshake from Pelosi.

Trump and Pelosi have not spoken since last October and Trump has been sending out a stream of insults against her on Twitter and in speeches, calling her among things, "Crazy Nancy".