Fetterman Slams Democrats After People's State of the Union Splits Party at Record-Breaking SOTU
A night meant to unify Washington instead exposed a Democratic Party at war with itself. While dozens of lawmakers skipped President Trump's record-long State of the Union address on February 24, 2026 ET to attend a rival People's State of the Union rally, Sen. John Fetterman broke from his party yet again — shaking the president's hand, voting with Republicans, and publicly blasting his colleagues the next morning.
The People's State of the Union Drew Dozens of Democratic Boycotters
More than two dozen House and Senate Democrats skipped Trump's address entirely, opting instead for the alternative People's State of the Union rally organized by MoveOn Civic Action and progressive media company MeidasTouch near the Lincoln Memorial. The event, billed as a counter to what organizers called "a night full of lies and misplaced priorities," drew senators including Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff, Tina Smith, Ruben Gallego, and Chris Van Hollen.
The People's State of the Union rally took place in near-freezing, 30-degree weather on the National Mall. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy addressed the crowd directly, declaring the union "in crisis" and calling on Democrats to stop behaving as if circumstances were normal. The event was briefly disrupted when a pro-Trump protester rushed the stage while Murphy was speaking and had to be physically removed by organizers.
Alternative State of the Union Events Multiplied Across Washington
The People's State of the Union was not the only counterprogramming event of the evening. A separate gathering called the "State of the Swamp" was held at the National Press Club, featuring speakers including Robert De Niro, Mark Ruffalo, Rep. Jason Crow, Rep. Dan Goldman, and Sen. Ron Wyden. Together, the alternative events represented the most organized Democratic boycott of a State of the Union in recent memory.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries framed the choice for Democrats as either attending with "silent defiance" or staying away entirely. Jeffries himself chose to attend the address alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, while making clear the decision was left to each individual member.
John Fetterman Goes the Other Direction — and Pays for It
While colleagues headed to the People's State of the Union, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman put on a suit, walked into the House chamber, and shook Trump's hand as the president entered. It was a striking visual that immediately ignited backlash within his own party. Rep. Brendan Boyle of Philadelphia, a potential 2028 primary challenger to Fetterman, publicly called him "Trump's favorite Democrat" in a post on social media that night.
Fetterman also broke with every Senate Democrat present on a DHS funding vote held that same evening, casting the only Democratic vote to fund the department alongside Republicans. It was consistent with his stated policy of never voting for government shutdowns, but it deepened the divide between him and the progressive wing of the party.
Fetterman Calls Out Democrats for "Yelling and Screaming"
The morning after Trump's record-breaking 108-minute address, John Fetterman went on Fox News and lit into his party. He expressed particular frustration that Democratic colleagues refused to stand and applaud the widow of Charlie Kirk, the mother of Iryna Zarutska — a Ukrainian refugee killed in North Carolina — and a Venezuelan political prisoner featured as guests in the chamber.
"How can you not celebrate those kinds of things?" Fetterman said, adding that Democrats should not be holding up signs or yelling from the floor. "Respect the office, regardless of who's in it," he said. He had previously warned colleagues ahead of the address that there is "no dignity" in disrupting a presidential speech, and he accused his party of damaging its own standing with voters by engaging in what he called performative outrage.
Mike Johnson Warns Democrats They'll Regret SOTU Conduct
Speaker Mike Johnson, who presided over the chamber for the evening, said he came close to ordering the removal of disruptive members but chose to let their behavior play out on camera. "Their antics were outrageous," Johnson said following the address. He added that he will use footage of Democrats refusing to stand during the question about protecting American citizens in the 2026 midterm elections.
Johnson, who set the informal over/under for Trump's speech at 90 minutes before the address began, called it the best State of the Union he had ever witnessed from his front-row seat as Speaker. Trump broke the all-time record, speaking for approximately one hour and 48 minutes ET.
