Democrat Al Green removed from House after interrupting, heckling Trump
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was removed from the House chamber where President Trump was giving his address to a joint session of Congress after the congressman heckled the president early in his speech.
Green responded to Trump’s declaration that his 2024 electoral victory was a “mandate like has not been seen in many decades” by asserting that Trump did not have a mandate.
Trump sought to continue with his address without answering Green, but the Democratic congressman did not sit down.
At that point, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) repeatedly warned those present to maintain decorum and Green specifically to stop speaking, but he continued.
“Members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the house, and to cease any further disruptions. That's your warning," Johnson said from the front of the room.
"Members are engaging in willful and continuing breach of decorum and the chair is prepared to direct a sergeant at arms to restore order to the joint session."
“Mr. Green, take your seat,” he said to Green. “Take your seat, sir.”
Green also said to Trump “you have no mandate to cut Medicaid.”
Johnson directed the sergeant-at-arms to “restore order” by removing Green. Republicans meanwhile yelled “get out” and then sang “hey, hey, hey, goodbye” to Green.
After Green was escorted out, Johnson told Trump he could continue.
Trump cited his win in all seven swing states along with his popular vote win, the first for a Republican presidential candidate since 2004, as contributing to his “mandate.”
Critics of Trump have argued that he did not receive a mandate in the election, as he still fell short of winning a majority of the vote and only won the popular vote by about 1.6 points.
Ahead of Trump’s speech, eyes were on whether any Democrats would heckle or interrupt Trump during his address, as some Republicans did to then-President Biden for his addresses to Congress. The ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus warned in advance of the speech that the House would move to censure any Democrats who heckled Trump.
Current and former members of the caucus, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), shouted at Biden during his speeches.
Green has been a particularly sharp critic of Trump, filing articles of impeachment against him on multiple occasions, including last month.
After leaving the House chamber, Green told reporters that people who rely on Medicaid as their only source of health care coverage are fearful that the program may be cut under the House GOP budget, which directs the committee responsible for overseeing the program to find $880 billion in cuts.
He said speaking up during the address was the best way "get across to a person who uses his incivility, who uses his incivility against our civility." He said he is willing to accept any punishment he faces, saying it's worth it to show that some are willing to stand up against Trump's "desire to cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security."
Trump repeatedly has said he would not cut funding for any of these programs, though the House budget resolution directs the Energy and Commerce Committee to make large spending cuts that some say would be difficult to achieve without cutting Medicaid.
"Whatever the punishment is, I'm not fighting the punishment," Green said. "This is about the people who are being punished by virtue of losing their health care. This is the richest country in the world, and we have people who don't have good health care. We've got to do better."
This story was updated at 10:11 p.m.
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