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Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. (Feb. 28) AP

President Trump speaks before a joint session of Congress on Feb. 28, 2017.(Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo, European Pressphoto Agency)

WASHINGTON While Republicans repeatedly stood andcheered President Trump's speech on Tuesday night, most Democrats sat stone-faced during the address except whensome laughed as Trump declared that he had begun to "drain the swamp" of Washington corruption.

The only Democrat to frequently stand and applaud was Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who is seeking re-election next year in a state that Trump won.

Trump did win applause from some Democrats when he promised to rebuild the nation's highways, roads and bridges. That potentially job-creating investment is an issue that could attract rare bipartisan support in Congress, although lawmakers may have trouble agreeing on how to pay for the $1 trillion plan.

Republicans cheered loudest when Trump vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.However, internal divisions within the Republican caucus about the best way to replace the laware already threatening to make that goal a difficult one.

There was some audible grumbling from Democrats, notably Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinoisand others around him, when Trump focused a section of his speech on victims of crime by undocumented immigrants. Gutierrez is a champion of immigrant rights and has criticized Trump for demonizing Latino immigrants.

"The President is lying when he says he supports immigration reform in any meaningful sense.He spent most of his speech denigrating immigrants, tarring our community as criminals, drug-dealers, and killers and we cannot stand for it.He is dressing his mass deportation plans up in nicer language, but hearing every Republican applaud the Presidents hateful words is very disheartening,"Gutierrez said in a statement after the speech.

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There were a handful of empty chairs on the Democratic side of the House chamber, but most Democrats attended the speech.Democrats began walking out of the chamber as soon as Trump was finished speaking. With a few exceptions, they did not stick around to shake his hand.

Mostof the Democratic women from the House including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. wore white in honor of the women's suffrage movement. They said it was a symbol that they will fight any attempt by Trump to roll back women's rights.

After the speech, Rep. EarlBlumenauer, D-Ore., put out the shortest reaction statement of the night. It said, simply, "Resist." The word has become a rallying cry for liberals who oppose Trump's policies.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., calledthe speech "a home run."

"President Trump delivered a bold, optimistic message to the American people," Ryan said."We now have a government unified around a simple, but important principle: Empowering the people not Washington is the way to build a better future for our country. This is a president who is serious about tackling our biggest challenges and improving peoples lives."

President Trump spoke to Congress about all of his administration's accomplishments so far. We broke down a couple of his claims.

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In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, President Trump emphasized that he will lead the United States, not the world. USA TODAY NETWORK

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During his address to Congress, President Trump called for the repeal and replacement of Obamacare. USA TODAY NETWORK

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President Donald Trump concluded his speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night by asking for unity. "The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us," Trump said. (Feb. 28) AP

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Congress applauded the widow of fallen U.S. Navy Special Operator Ryan Owens for so long that President Trump noted that it may have 'broken a record.' USA TODAY NETWORK

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President Donald Trump is making the case for his tougher immigration rules during his speech. "The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers," Trump said. (Feb. 28) AP

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President Donald Trump touted the accomplishments of his first month in office, saying companies have announced "they will invest billions of dolalrs in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs." (Feb. 28) AP

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President Trump listed the progress he has made in 'keeping his promises' during his first month in office while addressing Congress for the first time. USA TODAY NETWORK

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President Donald Trump is saying he will keep his promises to the American people while addressing Congress in his first speech as president. (Feb. 28) AP

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During his first address to Congress, President Trump described his campaign as a movement in 2016 that grew into an 'earthquake.' USA TODAY NETWORK

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President Donald Trump kicked off his speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night by condemning acts of hate. He also spoke optimistically about the future of the country. (Feb. 28) AP

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Before his first Congressional address, President Trump appeared on Fox News to talk about everything from immigration to government leaks. USA TODAY NETWORK

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Democratic lawmakers from more than 30 states are taking part in a coordinated rebuttal to Trump's agenda. USA TODAY NETWORK

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President Donald Trump will deliver a speech to Congress on Tuesday night. Newslook

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Fact-checking Trump's first address to Congress

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Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Trump's speech was short on details.

"For those Americans looking for a clear and forward-looking agenda, tonight's speech raised more questions than it answered," Warner said. "I believe the President missed an opportunity to begin to reach out beyond his political base to all Americans. And despite his claims to be concerned about our deficit, I am deeply concerned that the Trump agenda will make our nations underlying $20 trillion debt even worse."

Warner said he supports Trump's call to rebuild the nation's highways, roads and bridges.

"If President Trump is willing to work in a bipartisan fashion, we can accomplish that goal," he said. "But it will require sustained focus and bipartisan commitment from the President.

Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, praised the optimism of Trump's speech.

"He spoke to all Americans," Barrasso said. "In particular, I commend his emphasis on creating jobs and giving Americans relief from the failed Obamacare law."

But Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., said he was disturbed by Trump's protectionist sentiment about trade and foreign policy. He told reporters that protectionism is a very, very dangerous thing."

"America has benefited mightily from the rest of the world, and as much as we back away from that I think we do ourselves great harm," Sanford said.

Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the new deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told reporters that Trump's rhetoric doesn't match his actions.

"This is a speech (where) he doesnt have to answer any questions; hes going to say whatever he needs to say to appeal to who he wants to appeal to," Ellison said. "But people are going to judge what he said with what he does, and they dont match up."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said before the speech that Trump's promises to help middle-class Americans will ring hollow unless he follows them up with action. He said he is worried that Trump'stax reform plan will give big breaks to the wealthy and shift the tax burden to middle-class and working-class families.

"His speech tonight will mean nothing if he continues to do as hes done these first few months since being elected: breaking promises to working people and putting an even greater burden on their backs, while making it even easier to be wealthy and well-connected in America."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said earlier Tuesday that lawmakers "already know what needs to be done" to help the middle class and will work with Trump to get it done.

"We need to leave Obamacare in the past and replace it with common-sense reforms so we can bring relief to the middle class," McConnell said. "We need to make regulations smarter so we can get the economy moving. We need to make taxes simpler so we can create more jobs."

Contributing: Eliza Collins

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GOP lawmakers cheer Trump's speech as Democrats sit stone-faced