Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green disrupts a major address by President Trump during a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington on March 4.
Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green was removed from the House chamber after heckling President Trump during his address to Congress, marking a significant departure from traditional conduct in such settings.
Historically, lawmakers in opposition parties have voiced their dissent from their seats, but Green’s removal escalates the level of disruption witnessed during these addresses.
Green began shouting that Trump lacked a mandate from the American people right after the president referenced his expected 2024 victory. Despite warnings from House Speaker Mike Johnson, Green continued and was escorted out by the Sergeant at Arms.
“It’s important to allow people to know that there are those who will stand up to Trump,” Green stated outside the chamber.
Numerous other lawmakers staged quieter forms of protest. A group of Democratic women wearing “Resist” T-shirts walked out during Trump’s speech, joined by several other Democrats who expressed their discontent.
Rep. Maxwell Frost was among those who left the chamber, displaying a shirt that declared, “No kings live here.” He expressed pride in joining the protest alongside fellow members, invoking the spirit of student demonstrators from the Civil Rights Movement. “This is NOT a normal time,” Frost emphasized in a statement.
As Democrats remain in the minority in both the Senate and House of Representatives, many have actively participated in protests against the Trump administration’s significant policy shifts affecting the federal government.
