Al Green Ejected From Trump's SOTU 2026 After Holding Sign Reading 'Black People Aren't Apes!' VIDEO

(MENAFN- Live Mint) SOTU 2026: Only moments into US President Donald Trump's 2026 State of the Union address on Tuesday night (local time), Representative Al Green of Texas rose from his seat and refused to sit, holding aloft a stark handwritten sign that read:“Black people aren't apes!” Within minutes, security officials escorted the 79-year-old Democrat from the House chamber, bringing a swift and combustible interruption to an address already marked by partisan fracture.

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The protest, silent but visually unmistakable, referred to a racist video clip recently shared by the president depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. Green's action transformed the early minutes of the annual constitutional ceremony into a scene of confrontation, jeers and nationalist chants.

Silent protest erupts into chants of“USA! USA!”

As Trump began his address, lawmakers took their seats - all except Green, who remained standing and brandishing his sign. A staff member approached and appeared to urge him to lower it. Instead, Green held his ground.

A man - possibly from security - moved towards him as Senator Markwayne Mullin approached again in what witnesses described as a menacing posture. Other Republican lawmakers attempted to obstruct the cameras' view.

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Representative Steve Scalise, entering alongside the president, noticed the placard and sought to seize it. Senators Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Roger Marshall of Kansas stood in front of Green in an apparent effort to shield the sign from both the president and television lenses.

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As Green made his way up the aisle, leaning on his walking stick and clutching the sign, several Republicans engaged in heated exchanges. Chants of“USA! USA!” reverberated through the chamber. Representative Troy Nehls of Texas leaned into the aisle and made repeated attempts to grab the placard as Green exited.

After security officials escorted Green through the chamber doors, Trump paused only briefly, saying“thank you” before continuing with his remarks.

Green's seat remained empty save for a handwritten cardboard sign reading:“Al Green.”

Al Green's Second protest in two years

The confrontation marked the second consecutive year Green has been removed during a Trump address. In 2025, he was ejected after loudly heckling the president during a joint session of Congress - an episode that culminated in formal censure following a public clash with Speaker Mike Johnson.

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This year's demonstration was quieter but no less symbolically charged. Democratic leaders had cautioned members against overt displays, urging decorum and restraint to avoid being distracted from the address. Some outspoken critics of the president opted not to attend at all, instead participating in counterprogramming events elsewhere in Washington.

Al Green, however, chose visibility.

The entire episode unfolded in a matter of minutes, yet it crystallised the tensions that have come to define Trump's second term: disputes not merely over policy, but over language, race, institutional norms and the boundaries of protest within Congress itself.

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