Al Green Escorted Out of House Chamber During Trump Address After ‘Black people aren’t apes!’ Sign
al green was escorted from the House chamber on Tuesday night during the president’s State of the Union address after he stood in the center aisle holding a sign that read "Black people aren’t apes!" The swift removal, which marked the second year in a row the Texas Democrat was ejected from the annual event, intensified visible partisan divisions as many Democrats sat solemnly while Republicans repeatedly rose to applaud.
Al Green Ejected in Silent Protest
The protest was quiet but conspicuous: Green remained in the center aisle holding the cardboard placard as the president began speaking. The sign referenced the president’s sharing of a racist video depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama, and Green continued to display it even as representatives and staff moved to remove him. He was escorted out almost immediately and left his seat vacant, replaced only by a handwritten cardboard sign that said "Al Green. " Clutching both his walking stick and the protest sign, Green exited amid acrimonious exchanges with Republican colleagues, some of whom chanted "USA! USA!"
Mike Johnson’s Order and Last Year’s Removal
This was Green’s second consecutive removal from the annual address. Last year he was ordered out by House speaker Mike Johnson after he yelled responses while the president spoke. This year’s action was silent; Green did not voice shouts in the chamber but held the sign as a direct rebuke tied to the president’s previous conduct. Outside the chamber, Green characterized the removal as "of no consequence" and remained publicly defiant.
Confrontations with Troy Nehls and Markwayne Mullin
As Green was escorted toward the exit, Representative Troy Nehls could be seen engaging him aggressively and attempting to block or grab the sign from cameras. Senator Markwayne Mullin also approached Green in a manner described as menacing before a staffer led the congressman to the door. Multiple Republican representatives tried to obscure the placard or seize it outright as Green was removed.
Democrats’ Response and Walkouts
Dozens of Democrats boycotted the address, and those who remained in the chamber mostly sat quietly while Republican members leapt to their feet to clap at the end of nearly every sentence. Several Democrats chose to leave early. Senator Mark Warner posted on the social media network Bluesky that he "couldn’t sit through an hour of Trump’s lies" and departed as the president spoke about his economic record. Representative Bill Foster wrote on X that he gave himself "5 bald-faced lies"—the same tally as the previous year—before leaving, adding "Less than one hour into his speech, I’m out. "
Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar Exchanges
As the president addressed immigration enforcement and urged Congress to fund the Department of Homeland Security to applause from Republicans, Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar vocalized sharp rebukes. Tlaib, wearing a pin that read "release the files, " was audible as she yelled about the killing of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse whom federal agents shot to death: "They saw the videos, Mr President. They saw the videos. " Omar shouted, "You should be ashamed, " and repeatedly accused the president of having "killed Americans" while he admonished Democrats to feel shame.
Green has been among the president’s most persistent 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 positioned himself on civil rights issues. What makes this notable is that the method of protest shifted from vocal interruption last year to a silent visual rebuke this year, yet it produced a similar immediate ejection and visible intra-chamber confrontation.
Outside the chamber, Green said he would not be deterred from taking what he called a righteous stand. "You have to take a stand, " he said, and added, "I am just a person who has done it – but there are many others, I believe, who would. "
