Democrats protest during President Trump’s address to Congress
Democrats wore pink, displayed signs and even interrupted to show their displeasure with President Trump’s policies during his address to Congress.
WASHINGTON − The showman strikes again.
President Donald Trump delivered a record long address to Congress Tuesday, in which he touted his legislative agenda and vowed he is “just getting started.”
The speech was full of viral moments, including disruptions from opponents on the left and shoutouts to special guests.
A former reality television star, Trump put on a memorable show. In his last State of the Union in 2020, one of the highlights came when he surprised the family of Army Sergeant First Class Townsend Williams, a husband and father on his fourth deployment to the Middle East, with his return.
Here are some of the moments that shaped this year’s fiery address.
Al Green causes ruckus early on
Trump was momentarily stalled at the outset of his address, when Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, refused to sit down, despite warnings from House Speaker Mike Johnson.
After Trump claimed “the presidential election of Nov. 5 was a mandate like has not been seen in many decades,” Green waved his cane at Trump and shouted repeatedly, “You don’t have a mandate.” Republican lawmakers responded by drowning out Green with jeers and chants of “USA,” then celebrated when the sergeant at arms escorted the Texas Democrat from the chamber.
As Trump continued with his speech, other Democrats continued to protest, albeit less obtrusively, by holding up signs that read “FALSE” and “MUSK STEALS” in reference to Trump’s ally, the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.
At about half an hour into the address, several Democrats, including Florida’s Rep. Maxwell Frost, walked out, sporting black T-shirts displaying the word “RESIST” in white, all-capitalized letters.
A shout-out for Musk
Trump made sure to note the presence of his ally and senior advisor, Musk, early into his speech.
“Thank you very much. We appreciate it,” Trump said, looking up to where Musk was seated in the House gallery alongside members of the first family and their guests.
The billionaire and tech entrepreneur saluted back in response to the acknowledgment, while Democrats booed at the mention of Musk.
Trump went on to tout the Department of Government Efficiency, which has spearheaded the major overhauls to federal government Trump promised during his campaign, including mass layoffs and attempted shuttering of entire agencies.
The president referred to Musk as head of the department, which he named Musk to lead in November, though the White House has recently claimed that Amy Gleason is the acting DOGE administrator.
The rare moment of bipartisanship
One of the few, if only, times Democrats clapped during Trump’s speech came when the president referenced the parents of Laken Riley.
The 22-year-old Georgia nursing student was brutally killed last year by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, and her name has since become a rallying cry for tougher border security. Riley’s mother and sister were in attendance for the president’s address.
Last month, Trump signed the “Laken Riley Act,” which requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain immigrants accused of certain crimes and living in the U.S. without legal permission. It was the first bill signed by Trump in his second term.
The act received some bipartisan support in Congress: 46 Democrats in the House and 12 in the Senate voted to advance the bill.
“Last year, I told Laken’s grieving parents that we would ensure their daughter would not have died in vain,” Trump said in his speech Tuesday.
The line drew a rare round of applause from the left side of the aisle.
Trump spotlights guests, signs honorary order
The president, who has issued a flurry of executive orders since his inauguration in January, showed off his most recently signed order, holding it up for the assembled members of Congress and TV viewers to see.
Trump announced an order directing Houston’s Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge to be renamed after Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-old-year girl killed last year allegedly by two migrants from Venezuela.
Along with Riley, Nungaray’s death has become a flashpoint in the debate around immigration policy. Trump recognized her mother, Alexis Nungaray, seated two spots down from the first lady.
“Alexis, I promised that we would always remember your daughter, your magnificent daughter,” Trump said.
The president recognized his other guests, whose personal stories are likewise connected to the debate around border security, including Roberto Ortiz, a border patrol agent from Weslaco, Texas.
An underage honorary Secret Service agent
Trump’s speech was peppered with the kind of made-for-television moments that have earned him reputation as a showman.
At one point, he recognized 13-year-old brain cancer survivor Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel and called for him to be named an honorary member of the Secret Service.
“He has always dreamed of becoming a police officer,” Trump said.
“The doctors gave him five months at most to live,” he added. “That was more than six years ago. Since that time, DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true.”
Daniel, dressed as a police officer, could be seen with a shocked expression on his face being lifted in the air by his father.
Trump also spotlighted high school senior Jason Hartley, who recently applied to the United States Military Academy at West Point.
“I’m pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted,” the president announced Tuesday.
‘Pocahontas’
Throughout his speech, Trump attacked Democrats in attendance. But one of his heaviest hits came towards the end when he referred to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., as “Pocahontas.”
The derogatory nickname is a callback to half a decade ago, when Trump used it to taunt Warren, who has previously claimed Native American heritage and at the time was running for president.
The senator could be seen smiling and slowly clapping in response to the jab.