Representative Al Green, a Texas Democrat, has been escorted out of the House chamber minutes into President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address after holding up a “Black People Aren’t Apes” sign.
The sign was an apparent reference to a racist AI-generated video Trump posted online earlier this month depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as primates.
Green was also removed from Trump’s joint address to Congress last year for heckling the president.
“You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!” Green shouted at Trump while raising his cane last March. Trump went on to sign his “big, beautiful bill” that summer, which slashed spending for the affordable healthcare program.
Green was given two warnings from House Speaker Mike Johnson to restore order before he was booted during Trump’s last State of the Union speech.
This year, Green was ejected more quietly after reportedly being spoken to by floor staff. But Republicans did yell “USA USA” as he left, as observed by The Independent’s Eric Garcia from inside the room.
Before being escorted out, Republicans tried to take matters into their own hands, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Senator Markwayne Mullin trying to grab the sign, according to reports.
When asked about the consequences he could face for getting removed from the State of the Union address two years in a row, Green told reporters, “The consequences were of no consequence to me. You have to take a stand.”
“Al Green is a stone cold loser who beclowns himself on a daily basis and demeans the seat he occupies in Congress. He’s is not a serious person, which is why he does unserious things,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told The Independent.
The AI-generated video of the Obamas received sharp backlash from both Democrats and Republicans.
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The White House has claimed a staffer “erroneously” posted the video on February 5 and it was removed several hours after it was shared.
Trump has refused to apologize for the racist video, telling reporters, “I didn’t make a mistake.”
Barack Obama reacted in an interview with podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen earlier this month, saying, “There doesn't seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum.”
