Texas Rep. Al Green was dragged out of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night after holding up a hand-painted sign that read “Black People Aren’t Apes.”
The 78-year-old Democratic congressman was escorted from the chamber by the House Sergeant at Arms staff as Trump entered to begin his speech. Republican lawmakers responded by chanting “USA, USA.”
Representative Al Green held up a “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES” sign at Donald Trump's State of the Union. pic.twitter.com/78JnDT5Uc3
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 25, 2026
Green’s protest was a direct response to the racist video Trump posted on Truth Social earlier this month depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. That AI-generated video remained online for nearly 12 hours before being deleted amid bipartisan backlash.
Multiple Republicans tried to physically suppress the protest. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise swiped at the sign as he walked through the center aisle with Trump. Sens. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Roger Marshall of Kansas, along with Reps. Pat Fallon of Texas and John McGuire of Virginia, attempted to block the sign from cameras.
Texas Rep. Troy Nehls was seen trying to snatch the sign directly from Green’s hands as he was ushered out.
After his ejection, Green told CNN’s Ellis Kim that his mission was accomplished. “I wanted the president to see it and he saw it. I told him Black people are not apes,” he said.
Green rejected the idea that he’d violated House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ call for Democrats to practice “silent defiance” at this year’s address. “What I’m doing is making a point to the president,” he said.
This isn’t Green’s first ejection. He was removed from Trump’s joint address to Congress last year after shaking his cane and shouting at the president—a protest that got him censured by the House.
The White House initially blamed an unnamed aide for “erroneously” posting the racist Obama video, but Trump personally contradicted that story. “I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine,” Trump said. “It was a very strong post in terms of voter fraud.”
Green faces a contested primary next week against Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee, 37, in Texas’s newly redrawn 18th congressional district.