A Democrat’s protest dominated the early part of President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress Tuesday night, sounding a larger alarm on the party’s messaging.
Trump spent 100 minutes giving a victory lap speech to the GOP-led Congress on his 2024 win over former Vice President Kamala Harris and his 2025 rapid-fire actions in office, including cracking down on the border and empowering billionaire Elon Musk to slash the federal bloat.
However, for Democrats, Trump’s agenda and his flurry of executive orders through the Department of Government Efficiency demanded pushback, and they said veterans’ care, Medicaid programs, and the Social Security Administration are at risk.
The protests were wide-ranging and disjointed. Various Democrats boycotted the speech altogether. The address started with dozens of women sitting together wearing pink in the House chamber, and then, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) was removed by the sergeant-at-arms for heckling Trump as soon as he started speaking.
DEMOCRATS MAKE A FASHION STATEMENT AT TRUMP ADDRESS WEARING PINK
Later, other Democrats opted to leave the speech early when they felt Trump was disrespecting an issue they cared about. Others stayed and held signs saying “PROTECT VETERANS” following concerns from both sides of the aisle about veteran layoffs.
“All they have is fear,” Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) told the Washington Examiner in reaction to the protests.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) argued that the range of ways lawmakers protested represented the diversity in the party, including progressives and centrist Democrats.
“Al Green is the ‘do something.’ The rest of us were trying to be, you know, organized and more thoughtful and prepared to deliver simple messages,” Takano told the Washington Examiner.
A handful of Democratic staffers expressed concern to the Washington Examiner that these outbursts and forms of protest sent mixed signals for the party instead of it being united in one form of protest. Members, however, overarchingly argued that the range of these protests reflected the public.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) told the Washington Examiner that Democrats are “united in our objection to what [Trump’s] doing.”
“I think that there are many ways in which we have raised our objection, and I think we did it well,” Leger Fernández continued.
Democrats also pointed out that outbursts like those seen Tuesday night are not uncommon from Republicans when the roles are reversed.
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) told the Washington Examiner that the goal was to be there for the public while letting each member act accordingly.
“I think everyone left when they felt like they couldn’t take the lies any longer,” she said.
Many Republicans were not surprised by the outbursts, given the disapproval of Trump that comes from across the aisle.
“As President Trump pointed out tonight, he could cure cancer, and nobody on the other side of the aisle would stand and clap for him,” conservative firebrand Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) told reporters.
Before the address started, the House Freedom Caucus warned Democrats on X that they would be censured if they took any disruptive actions. Following Green’s removal, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) said they would be “looking at” possibly censuring the congressman for his protest.
“Certainly, outbursts like that are disappointing. … What the sanction or consequence should be, I think, remains to be seen,” Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO) told the Washington Examiner on whether Green should be censured.
Hurd pointed out he believes outbursts like this are off-putting to most people. “It’s certainly OK to applaud and cheer, but some of the outbursts are not appropriate, so not a fan.”
