Democratic lawmakers planned widespread protests and boycotts against President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on February 24. These actions included boycotts, participation in counter-events, and inviting guests to speak about the impacts of the administration's policies.
House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had instructed party members to choose one of two methods for boycotting President Trump's State of the Union. Members were advised to either attend alternative programs or engage in "protest in silence" within the chamber, aiming to prevent disruptions.
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Representative Al Green held up a sign stating "Black people are not apes" before President Trump delivered the State of the Union address. AFP
Jeffries stated the instruction's aim was to prevent a repeat of the previous year's chaos, when Representative Al Green protested Trump during his speech. Jeffries himself intended to attend, emphasizing that Trump was "coming to our house," not the other way around. However, Representative Green defied Jeffries' directive by holding up a sign that read "Black people are not apes" as Trump prepared to speak, leading to his removal from the chamber. This action appeared to reference a video posted on Trump's social media, which depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama superimposed onto ape bodies.
Beyond boycotts, some Democratic lawmakers opted to participate in counter-events. One such gathering, titled "State of the Union of the People," was held at 8 h on the same day at the National Mall. Organized by political activist groups, this event featured Americans "most affected by President Trump's agenda." Another group attended the "State of the Swamp" event at the National Press Club, scheduled to begin just before Trump's speech.
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President Trump delivers the State of the Union address. Reuters
Several other lawmakers announced their absence from Trump's State of the Union address, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Dina Titus, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Don Beyer, Sean Casten, Ami Bera, and Senator Ruben Gallego. Representative Dina Titus stated she would watch the speech from her office, while Sean Casten opted to view it elsewhere. Representative Don Beyer planned to spend the evening meeting constituents in Virginia, rather than attending the address.
A few Democratic lawmakers chose to invite guests to Congress to protest the Trump administration's policies over the past year. These guests included survivors of abuse linked to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and individuals affected by immigration enforcement. Representative Mark Takano invited George Retes, a 26-year-old US citizen whom Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had detained for three days, to the event.
By Thanh Danh (Source: Hill, AP)
