It was a speech and it was a spectacle. The president was victorious and the Democrats were triggered and humiliated by the man they tried to impeach twice without success during his first term.
Democrats in Congress loudly booed and held signs up protesting President Donald Trump throughout his joint congressional address, and after Speaker Mike Johnson tried to restore order repeatedly, one lawmaker was finally ejected.
Rep. Al Green of Houston Texas was removed from the chamber for standing in the aisle and shouting over the president, and refusing to stop. He shook his cane at Trump, disagreeing with the president’s characterization of the November election as a mandate.
About 15 of the Democrats lawmaker women wore pink in solidarity with women, although the Democrats had just blocked a bill to protect girls’ and women’s sports from males. Four years ago during the Trump State of the Union, the women Democrats wore all white and then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore up the speech as soon as he had finished, on camera.
This speech was even more in-your-face to the Democrats. Trump did not yield an inch to them. Several Democrats got up and walked out halfway through it.
The Republicans, who hold the majority in both the House and Senate, drowned out the booing from the Democrats with chants of “USA! USA!”
The Democrats were so dour that many of them would not even sit and clap, much less stand, to recognize a 13-year-old boy who has survived brain cancer and was honored to be in the chamber as a guest of the president.
Trump said that his administration is ushering the golden era, which may be the greatest era in the country’s history. He went through a long inventory of his recent executive orders, getting raucous applause from the Republicans and grumbling from Democrats, who didn’t want to get thrown out like Rep. Green was.
Early in his speech to a joint session, Trump mentioned that he loves Alaska and is going to make the Alaska LNG pipeline a reality, with deals underway with Japan as a buyer.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy wrote, “On the global stage, President Trump just committed to our LNG pipeline.‘Beautiful Alaska, we love Alaska!’ President Trump’s support for AKLNG will ensure this massive LNG project is completed, and clean Alaska gas supplies our Asian allies and our Alaskan residents for decades to come! Thank you @realDonaldTrump.”
The speech, which went for over 100 minutes, was one for the ages and holds the record for the longest. It can be seen here:
The Democrats in the chamber, after having held auction paddles with opposition messages throughout the speech, immediately rushed out of the chamber as Trump uttered his final words, “God bless America.” He had triggered them repeatedly and with intention, even calling Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who sat playing with her phone during the entire speech, “Pocahantas.”
There were several Democrats who skipped attending, including:
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY): She held a livestream on BlueSky social media.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT): Confirmed he would skip the address to attend an event with MoveOn, calling it a “farce” and a “Maga pep rally.”
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA): Announced she would not attend, citing Trump’s actions against federal agencies and laws, and planned to meet with affected constituents instead.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA): Stated he would sit out the speech, emphasizing the unprecedented challenges to democracy and his prior perfect attendance record at such events.
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM): Told ABC News he would not attend, saying he’d start attending when Trump “starts following the law.”
Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT): Announced via X that she would not attend, citing Trump’s lies and division.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA): Indicated he would skip the speech, frustrated by the prospect of colleagues cheering policies he views as harmful.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR): Listed in X posts as planning not to attend.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA): Also named in X posts as intending to boycott, consistent with her past criticisms of Trump, though not explicitly confirmed in web reports.
Sen Bernie Sanders (D-VT): Named as boycotting and not spotted in the chamber.
