A Democrat’s protest dominated the early part of President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress Tuesday night while also 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 on 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 of Efficiency demanded pushback, claiming that veterans’ care, Medicaid programs, and the Social Security Administration are at risk.
The protests, however, were wide-ranging and disjointed. Various Democrats boycotted the speech altogether. For those who showed up, the address started with dozens of women sitting together wearing pink in the House chamber and then Rep. Al Green (D-TX) being removed by the sergeant of arms for heckling Trump as soon as he started speaking.
Later, other Democrats opted to leave the speech early when they deemed Trump was disrespecting an issue they cared about. Others stayed and held signs in protest, including those that said “PROTECT VETERANS,” following concerns from both sides of the aisle of veteran layoffs.
“All they have is fear,” Rep. Kevin Hern told the Washington Examiner in reaction to the protests.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) argued that the range of ways lawmakers protested represented the range of 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 being united in one form of protest. Members, however, overarchingly argued that the range of these protests reflected the American people.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) told the Washington Examiner that Democrats are “united in our objection to what he’s [Trump] 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 American people, 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 posted on X warning Democrats they would be censured if there were any disruptive actions made. Following Green being removed, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) said they will 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 if Green should be censured.
Hurd pointed out he believes outbursts like this are off-putting to most people, “it’s certainly okay to applaud and cheer, but some of the outbursts are not appropriate, so not a fan.”
