Democrat Al Green turfed from US House of Representatives chamber for heckling Donald Trump
Democrat Al Green was ejected from the US House of Representatives chamber on Tuesday after heckling President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress.
The Texan, who shook his cane during his protest in the opening minutes of Mr Trump’s speech, has long demanded the president’s impeachment.
“You have no mandate!” he shouted at the president.
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Mr Green, an 11-term Democrat from Houston, filed impeachment articles against Mr Trump during his first term and last month announced plans to pursue the president’s impeachment again.
House Speaker Mike Johnson instructed the House Sergeant of Arms to remove Mr Green, prompting Republicans to rise on their feet, shouting and cheering “Get out!” and “Goodbye!” at the lawmaker as he was escorted out by police.
The first joint congressional address of Mr Trump’s second term got off to a raucous start with jeering from Democrat members met with loud chants of “U.S.A” by Trump supporters.
But after Mr Green’s early outburst, most Democrats sat silently, holding up small signs that protest Trump’s policies and words, including one from Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan saying, “That’s a lie!” during comments on the election and the economy.
Bipartisan bad behaviour from members of Congress during the State of the Union address is not unprecedented and is, in fact, increasing, reported Politico last year.
“At times, the United States Congress is starting to resemble the British House of Commons with members heckling,” Terry Szuplat, a former Barack Obama speechwriter who worked on many State of the Union addresses, told the US outlet.
During President Joe Biden’s address in 2022, Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene was heard to yell: “Build the wall!”
A heckler was also removed from Mr Biden’s address in 2024 as he repeatedly shouted “remember Abbey Gate”.
The man was later identified as Gold Star parent Steven Nikoui, whose son US Marine Kareem Nikoui was one of the 13 US troops killed in the Kabul airport bombing in August 2021 as the US withdrew troops from Afghanistan.
