Lawmaker ejected during Trump’s State of the Union address

Democrat Representative Al Green was ejected from US President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in Washington D.C. on February 25, 2026, after holding up a protest sign reading 'Black people are not apes' in response to a controversial Truth Social post by Trump that depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. The incident occurred during a highly charged atmosphere at the annual address to Congress, with Capitol Police officers approaching Green after he displayed the sign and escorting him from the chamber, citing rules against unauthorized demonstrations during the joint session. Green's protest was a direct rebuke to Trump's earlier social media post, which had drawn widespread criticism for its racist undertones and was part of a pattern of inflammatory rhetoric from the president that has increasingly divided the nation along racial and political lines.