Democrats walked out, yelled back, and refused to stand, but one congressman’s silent protest stole the entire night from Trump

There was serious drama during President Trump‘s State of the Union address this week. Congressman Al Green was ejected for holding a protest sign, and many Democrats refused to stand, creating a stark visual contrast that caught widespread attention.

As President Trump began his address, Green remained standing in the center aisle while most attendees sat down. According to The Guardian, he held up a sign that read, “Black people aren’t apes!”, a direct reference to a racist video depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama that President Trump had previously shared.

House Speaker Mike Johnson quickly ordered Green’s removal. As Green was escorted out, he continued holding his sign high, while several Republican representatives tried to grab it or block it from cameras. Representative Troy Nehls and Senator Markwayne Mullin were reportedly aggressive in their interactions with Green as he passed by. Some Republicans began chanting “USA! USA!” as he exited.

Al Green’s long history of standing up to Trump made his removal from the chamber all the more striking

Green, who represents a predominantly African American district, has been a vocal critic of President Trump for years, even calling for his impeachment in 2017. Speaking to reporters outside the chamber while still holding his sign, Green dismissed his removal as being “of no consequence,” saying nothing would stop him from doing what he felt was right.

Following the incident, there has been growing discussion about whether Green could face censure in Congress and what consequences that could bring. Throughout the speech, many Democrats made their disapproval known in a quieter but equally visible way. 

While Republicans frequently stood and clapped at Trump’s statements, a significant number of Democrats remained seated, creating a striking split-screen moment for viewers at home. Some Democrats walked out early. 

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia posted on X that he “couldn’t sit through an hour of Trump’s lies,” leaving when the president began talking about his economic achievements. Representative Bill Foster of Illinois gave himself “5 bald-faced lies” before making his exit, just as he did last year, and reportedly left in under an hour.

Other Democrats spoke out from their seats. When Trump discussed his immigration enforcement agenda and criticized Democrats for not funding the Department of Homeland Security, Representative Rashida Tlaib, wearing a “release the files” pin, shouted about the killing of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse shot by federal agents.

She insisted, “They saw the videos, Mr. President,” and repeated it. Lauren Boebert was among the Republicans who responded to the night’s events, and she shared her thoughts on Green’s walking cane and other moments from the evening.

Representative Ilhan Omar also shouted, “You should be ashamed,” and “you have killed Americans,” as Trump rebuked Democrats. Both Omar and Tlaib were seen leaving the chamber together before the speech ended.