Inside the Capitol, President Donald Trump broke the record for the longest-ever State of the Union address on Tuesday night, speaking for nearly two hours. But outside on the National Mall, Democrats held out even longer.
More than two dozen members of Congress chose to boycott the address in favor of a counterrally that featured plenty of signs, chants and a pro-Trump protester who rushed the stage. Even in 30-degree weather, it was better than attending the president’s speech, the Democrats said.
“Democrats have to stop behaving normally. I’m not at the State of the Union speech tonight because you’re not going to hear about the state of the union,” Connecticut Sen. Christopher S. Murphy told the crowd. “This union is in crisis right now.”
A Trump supporter broke through a barricade while Murphy was speaking seeking to confront him, and an organizer pulled him off the stage.
Murphy, who is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, was joined by Sens. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Adam Schiff of California, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, as well as a number of House Democrats. Several lawmakers spoke alongside guests who shared personal stories.
The lawmakers criticized the administration and congressional Republicans for their economic agenda, as well as their handling of the Epstein files and immigration enforcement policies. Several pointed to the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal officers in Minnesota this year as a turning point.
“We’re going to stand up just like the people in Minneapolis who have taken to the streets, who are blowing the whistle to protect their neighbors and to protect our Constitution and who are getting in the way of the president’s efforts to tear down our country,” Van Hollen said.
Tracy Nelson, a Virginia resident attending the rally, said she had been protesting the administration since last March and noticed a shift in recent weeks since the shootings.
“The tension has broken, and more people are speaking up and speaking out and, you know, finding ways to resist,” she said.
The “People’s State of the Union,” as the event hosted by the advocacy group MoveOn and the progressive media company MeidasTouch was dubbed, wasn’t the only Democratic counterprogramming on Tuesday night. Another group held a “State of the Swamp” event at the National Press Club, which included speakers like Robert De Niro and Mark Ruffalo, as well as Reps. Jason Crow and Dan Goldman, Sen. Ron Wyden and others.
It comes a year after Democrats struggled to break through with their response to Trump’s joint address to Congress in 2025. Many members held up signs during the speech last year, while Texas Rep. Al Green was removed from the House floor after heckling Trump.
Green was once again escorted from the House chamber on Tuesday after holding up a handmade sign that read “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES,” referring to a video shared on the president’s social media account that depicted former President Barack Obama as an ape. Some Republicans sought to rip the sign from Green’s hands.
While the boycotting Democrats drew headlines this year for refusing to attend the State of the Union, others said they felt it was necessary to be inside the chamber despite disagreeing with Trump.
“I understand some of my colleagues are not going to be there tonight, and I totally understand that,” Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly said at a press conference Tuesday. “For me, personally, I’m going to be sitting there in the House to make a point to this president who, about three weeks ago, tried to indict me and send me to jail for something I said. Something that he didn’t like.”
California Sen. Adam B. Schiff pointed to this year’s midterm elections, urging people to vote this fall.
“In November, are you ready to throw the bums out?” Schiff asked. “In November, are you ready to defend our democracy?”
Savannah Behrmann contributed to this report.
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