Al Green Ejected From State of the Union After Holding 'Black people aren’t apes' Sign

Texas Democrat al green was removed almost immediately from the House chamber during the State of the Union after lingering in the center aisle with a sign that read "Black people aren’t apes!", a reference to the US president sharing a racist video depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama. His silent protest and escort from the room highlighted sharp divisions as many Democrats remained seated while Republicans cheered.

Al Green escorted from House chamber

Congressman Al Green was escorted from the annual address after he continued to hold the cardboard sign as members sat down and the president began speaking. The removal marked the second year in a row he has been ejected from the event; last year he was ordered out by House speaker Mike Johnson for yelling responses as the president spoke. As staffers led him to the door this year, multiple Republican representatives tried to grab at the sign or block it from cameras, and Representative Troy Nehls was seen aggressively engaging with Green just before a staffer took him out.

Sign referenced a racist video depiction of the Obamas

Green held the sign to call attention to what the protest referenced: the US president sharing a racist video depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama. He continued to clutch the sign — and his walking stick — as he passed through the chamber, and Senator Markwayne Mullin approached him in what observers described as a menacing manner. As he left, a few Republicans chanted "USA! USA!" and Green's seat was left empty with a handwritten cardboard sign that said "Al Green".

Colleagues sat or walked out while some shouted

Dozens of Democrats had boycotted the State of the Union address, but several stayed in the chamber and made their opposition clear. Many Democrats sat solemnly as Republicans leapt to their feet to clap at the end of nearly every sentence of the president's remarks. Several Democrats walked out early: Senator Mark Warner of Virginia posted on Bluesky that he "couldn’t sit through an hour of Trump’s lies" and left while the president discussed economic achievements, and Representative Bill Foster of Illinois wrote on X that he had given himself "5 bald-faced lies" before leaving, adding, "Less than one hour into his speech, I’m out. "

Shouts from the floor over immigration and a killing

As the president outlined an immigration enforcement agenda to a standing ovation from Republicans and called for Congress to fund the Department of Homeland Security, Representative Rashida Tlaib, wearing a pin that read "release the files", yelled about the killing of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse shot to death by federal agents: "They saw the videos, Mr President, they saw the videos. " Representative Ilhan Omar also shouted back during the address, telling the president, "You should be ashamed, " and repeatedly yelling, "you have killed Americans. "

Green framed the protest as necessary

Green has been among the president's top critics and was the first member of Congress to call for his impeachment, as early as 2017. He represents a predominantly African American district and has long fought for civil rights. After his removal, Green told reporters outside the chamber that the ejection was "of no consequence" and continued to hold his sign for cameras. "You have to take a stand, " he said. "I am just a person who has done it – but there are many others, I believe, who would. "

Next steps for floor proceedings or any further disciplinary action were unclear in the provided context.