Washington D.C. – A Democratic lawmaker was escorted from the House chamber on Tuesday, February 25, 2026, during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address after displaying a protest sign. The incident occurred as Trump began his speech before a joint session of Congress, according to reports.
Representative Al Green of Texas held up a white sign bearing the message “Black People Are Not Monkeys.” The demonstration was a direct response to a video recently shared by Trump on social media, which depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as primates. The White House initially dismissed criticism of the video as “outrageous,” but later attributed its release to a staff member who allegedly posted it by mistake, Sky News Arabia reported.
The removal of Green from the chamber mirrors a similar incident from the previous year, when he was ejected for voicing opposition to Trump during a speech. This latest disruption comes amid heightened political tensions and underscores the deep divisions within American society, as highlighted by France24.
During his address, President Trump touted what he described as the “golden age of America,” and also used the speech to criticize his political opponents and signal a potential escalation of tensions with Iran, according to reports. The State of the Union address, historically a platform for presidential policy announcements, was also the longest in history, as reported by Monte Carlo International.
The incident with Representative Green draws attention to the ongoing racial tensions within the United States and the increasingly charged political climate surrounding the Trump presidency. CNN Arabic reported that Green’s actions were a direct protest against the imagery used in Trump’s recent social media posts.
The longer-than-usual address also saw Trump outlining his administration’s accomplishments and laying out his vision for the future, while simultaneously attacking his Democratic rivals, as detailed by Al Ain.
