House Dems Mull Creative Protest to ‘Express Outrage’ During Trump’s Speech to Congress: Report
AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Democrats are weighing a range of protest tactics ahead of President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress on Tuesday, with some House members considering outright disruption, multiple lawmakers told Axios.
While party leadership has encouraged members to bring guests impacted by Trump’s policies, some in the Democratic caucus are pushing for more dramatic action, setting up a clash between institutionalists and its more combative members.
“The part that we all agree on is that this is not business as usual and we would like to find a way — productively — to express our outrage,” one House Democrat told Axios. But there’s no consensus on how far to take it. Some members are considering walking out if Trump utters certain remarks, particularly on transgender rights, which one House Democrat called a “line in the sand.”
Other potential protest props include anti-Trump signs, pocket Constitutions to highlight Trump’s alleged constitutional violations, and even empty egg cartons to emphasize inflation’s impact on grocery prices. Noisemakers, red cards, and hand clappers have also been floated — though leadership has reportedly advised against props in closed-door meetings.
The optics of disruption are a subject of fierce debate within the caucus, with some Democrats wary that such actions could backfire.
“There are definitely a lot of constituents that really want Democrats to disrupt and there are […] constituents who feel like that just plays into his hands,” one House Democrat told the outlet.
Axios writers Andrew Solender and Hans Nichols note that protests during joint sessions were once rare and scandalous — like Rep. Joe Wilson’s (R-SC) infamous “you lie” outburst at President Barack Obama — but they’ve become a fixture of modern political theater.
Republicans repeatedly heckled President Joe Biden during his State of the Union addresses, and just last year, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) disrupted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech with a “war criminal” sign.
Other Democrats are opting for more subdued statements, coordinating their clothing as a form of protest. The Democratic Women’s Caucus is donning pink in defiance, while members of the Congressional Black Caucus have discussed wearing black to reflect the party’s somber mood. The Ukraine Caucus, meanwhile, will distribute blue-and-yellow accessories to members as a nod to Ukraine.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has urged members to show a “strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence” in the chamber. But some are expected to boycott entirely.
“Whether we are wearing pink, or black, or yellow and blue, we are all conveying our displeasure with this administration,” Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) told Axios. “What’s more important is our work together and the pressure for three Republicans to do the right thing for everyone.”
