Latest: Trump Puts On a Show as Democrats Heckle, Walk Out During State of the Union
The latest State of the Union descended into sustained confrontation as President Donald Trump and House Democrats traded shouts and walkouts over immigration, a fraud investigation in Minnesota and the handling of Jeffrey Epstein material. The exchanges, guest selections and parallel events crystallized a forceful Democratic rebuttal on multiple fronts.
State of the Union erupts over immigration and a Minnesota fraud probe
As Mr. Trump addressed the chamber Tuesday night, Democratic lawmakers vocally challenged his statements about illegal immigration and a fraud investigation into the Somali community in Minnesota. The president declared Democrats should be "ashamed, " prompting sharp responses from members on the floor: "You should be ashamed!" Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., yelled back; Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., at one point shouted, "Liar!"
Omar and Tlaib escalated their heckling as the speech continued, at one point shouting, "You have killed Americans!" before leaving the House chamber. Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., was also visible shouting during the address. The flare-up was driven in part by concerns over deportation tactics, a theme Democrats emphasized across multiple actions that night.
Al Green ejected for second straight year after sign protest
Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, was removed from the House floor for the second straight year after waving a sign reading "Black People Aren’t Apes!" The sign referenced a social media video the president had posted that depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. The president later removed the video amid widespread bipartisan condemnation but said he would not apologize.
Norma Torres displays photos of Minneapolis killings in January
Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., held a sign with photos of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti — two U. S. citizens who were killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis in January — drawing a direct line between immigration enforcement actions and the Democratic expression of protest on the House floor.
Latest: Epstein survivors and pins press the issue of withheld files
More than a dozen House Democrats invited survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to be their guests, signaling a targeted rebuke on a topic the president has been reluctant to revisit. Rep. Tlaib shouted, "How about those Epstein files?" and other Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, wore pins calling for the release of all files related to Epstein. What makes this notable is how guest choices and visible symbols were used as an overt challenge to the administration’s narrative.
Gallery partly empty as dozens attend alternative events on the National Mall and at the National Press Club
The Democratic gallery was only partially full as dozens of House Democrats attended or spoke at alternative events. A "People's State of the Union" was held outdoors on the frigid National Mall, and a "State of the Swamp" event at the National Press Club near the White House featured rebuttals from lawmakers and actor Robert De Niro. The walkouts, heckling and boycotts marked an active repudiation after Democrats were criticized last year for quieter in-chamber protest tactics.
Colonial Williamsburg hosts official Democratic response from Gov. Abigail Spanberger
The official Democratic response was delivered from Colonial Williamsburg, where Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered a broad critique of the administration and predicted voters would reject what she called the administration’s "chaos" in November. Spanberger said, "He’s enriching himself, his family, his friends. The scale of the corruption is unprecedented. " She further charged there was "the cover-up of the Epstein files, the crypto scams, cozying up to foreign princes for airplanes and billionaires for ballrooms, putting his name and face on buildings all over our nation’s capital. "
Concerns over deportation tactics were identified as a driving force behind much of the Democratic pushback that night, and Spanberger’s remarks echoed that theme. The president delivered a speech described as record-breaking in length, while the combination of in-chamber protests and external events underscored the depth of partisan division.
The provided text ends with an incomplete line that is unclear in the provided context.
