American Conservative Union President Matt Schlapp, whose wife works for the White House, defended President Donald Trump's assertion that Democrats who refused to applaud the president's State of the Union address are "treasonous."

During an interview with MSNBC's Katy Tur, Schlapp shrugged off recent remarks by the president that repeatedly suggesting Democrats who refused to applaud and stand during his annual speech are traitors to the United States.

"The Democrats have spent the last year calling Donald Trump a traitor, saying he colluded with Russia," Schlapp complained. "We've spend a lot of time throwing around the 'T' word, the treason word. And I think the president was putting it right back in their face. It's an unkind charge and maybe what we ought to do is start working together better."

Tur accused Schlapp of conflating the facts.

"The dossier is alleging Russian coordination during the election," she said. "Basically usurping democratic sovereignty. This is Donald Trump saying you didn't clap for me."

"Treason!" Schlapp shouted. "The dossier... is accusing Donald Trump of treason, which is not accurate and has dominated our politics for a year. And it just seems ridiculous to all of the sudden bring up the concept that Donald Trump is raising this term treason. He is the one who has been charged with it by almost every elected Democrat for a year."