Representative Al Green heckles Donald Trump during the joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on Tuesday.
Representative Al Green heckles Donald Trump during the joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump got barely two minutes into his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night before Representative Al Green, Democrat of Texas, stood to protest, disrupting the proceedings in a display that ultimately got him thrown out of the House chamber.
As Trump extolled his own accomplishments during his first weeks in office and boasted about his electoral success in November, Green, 77, rose from his seat, shook his cane and began to shout.
“You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!” yelled Green, who often creates headaches for Democrats by deviating from party orders.
Almost instantly, he was drowned out by chants from angry Republican colleagues: “USA! USA!” they shouted and clapped, which gave way to shouts of “Sit down!”
Twice, Speaker Mike Johnson interrupted the President’s address, tapped his gavel and warned Green that if he did not sit down, he would be removed from the chamber.
“ Green, take your seat, sir,” Johnson said, as Green stood defiantly, refusing.
Behind Trump, Vice-President JD Vance made a gesture with his thumb indicating “throw him out”, as members jeered. Soon, Johnson read from a sheet of paper in front of him, making it official.
“Finding that members continue to engage in willful and concerted disruption of proper decorum, the chair now directs the Sergeant-at-arms to restore order,” Johnson said, prompting raucous applause from Republicans. “Remove this gentleman from the chamber!” he declared, banging his gavel.
Green’s disruption wasn’t the first time an Opposition lawmaker has interrupted a President’s address. Republican Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado repeatedly interjected during former President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s State of the Union speech in 2022.
New York Times News Service