Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) shouts out as U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.WASHINGTON ― Just minutes into President Donald Trump’s remarks to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Representative Al Green (Democrat, Texas) was escorted from the chamber after causing a disturbance.
As Trump spoke, Green rose from his seat and yelled, “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid.” Republicans immediately started yelling for Green to sit down as he pointed his cane at Trump.
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) shouts out as U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.Trump tried to continue speaking, but Republicans, in an effort to drown out Green, began chanting, “USA, USA, USA!”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican, Louisana) spoke up to warn Green the sergeant-at-arms would take him away if he did not end his disturbance.
“Members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the House and to cease any further disruptions,” Johnson said. “That’s your warning.”
When Green refused to sit, continuing to say Trump had no mandate to cut Medicaid, Johnson ordered Green removed, and the sergeant-at-arms, the House’s chief law enforcement officer, escorted him away to loud cheers from Republicans.
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) is removed from the chamber as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress.Green’s protest was the most striking of several efforts by Democrats to disrupt the president’s speech. Several members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus held signs saying “false” and “Musk steals,” the latter in reference to billionaire White House adviser Elon Musk. At one point, a handful of House Democrats, including Reps. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) and Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), stood and turned their backs to Trump, then left.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) waves her hand as Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) is removed from the chamber.Speaking outside the chamber after he was removed, Green told reporters he was simply using Trump’s own playbook against him.
“He is a person who has consistently used incivility against civility,” Green said.
“I’m willing to suffer whatever punishment is available to me,” he continued. “I didn’t say to anyone, ‘Don’t punish me.’ I’ve said I’ll accept the punishment, but it’s worth it to let people know that there are some of us who are going to stand up against this president’s desire to cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.”
US Representative Al Green (D-TX) speaks to reporters after being removed from the chamber after shouting out as US President Donald Trump delivered his address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2025.“This is about the people who are being punished by virtue of losing their health care,” he added. “This is the richest country in the world, and we have people who don’t have good health care.”
Green has some practice with anti-Trump theatrics. He was the first Democrat to introduce an impeachment resolution against Trump in 2017, two years before the House voted to impeach Trump for the first time. He said last month he planned to introduce new articles of impeachment against Trump this year.
