Representative Al Green was ejected from the House chamber on Tuesday night after interrupting President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress with a loud protest.
Green, a Democratic congressman from Houston, Texas, stood up early in Trump’s speech and shouted, “Mr. President, you don’t have a mandate!”—a reference to proposed Medicaid cuts.
His outburst was quickly drowned out by Republicans chanting “U-S-A!” before House Speaker Mike Johnson ordered his ejection from the chamber.
A longtime critic of Trump, Green had previously called for his impeachment during the former president’s first term. Speaking to reporters after his ejection, he stated that he accepted any consequences for his actions but stood firm on his message. He reiterated that Trump “has no mandate to cut Medicaid” and revealed he was preparing articles of impeachment against the president.
“This is the wealthiest nation in the world, yet many people lack access to quality healthcare,” Green said. “Now, we’re about to cut Medicaid, which serves the poor. We must do better.”
Medicaid, a government program that helps low-income individuals cover healthcare costs, has become a major point of contention for Democrats, who fear reductions to the program. While Trump has insisted Medicaid will remain intact, Republicans’ plans for sweeping budget cuts have raised concerns that social services like Medicaid could be impacted.
To highlight the issue, several leading Democrats—including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer—invited Medicaid recipients to attend the address as their guests.
Following Trump’s speech, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Instagram Live to warn that Republicans "are coming for Medicaid."
Green was not the only Democrat to protest in the chamber.
A group of Democratic women wore pink dresses to protest Trump’s policies, arguing that rising costs disproportionately affect women. Others wore blue and yellow ties to signal their support for Ukraine, mirroring the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Tensions over Ukraine also flared after Trump announced on Monday that he was halting all military aid to the country, just days after a contentious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.
While Democrats largely remained seated and silent throughout the speech, some held up signs reading “false” in response to certain claims made by the president.
In contrast, Republican lawmakers frequently applauded and at times erupted into chants of “U-S-A!” in enthusiastic support of Trump’s remarks.
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