Democrat Representative Al Green held up protest sign as Donald Trump arrived for his State of the Union address, in response to controversial social media post

02:32, Wed, Feb 25, 2026 Updated: 02:40, Wed, Feb 25, 2026

Trump

Trump was confronted with the sign by Democrat lawmaker Al Green (Image: -)

Donald Trump faced a placard stating "black people aren't apes" as he delivered his State of the Union address this evening.

Democratic House member Al Green displayed the sign as Donald Trump entered the House of Representatives chamber for the annual address to a joint session of Congress tonight. The Texas Congressman was quikcly escorted out from the event.

Rep. Green was ejected from Trump's joint address to Congress last year after he shouted at the President in opposition to Medicaid reductions.

This year's demonstration relates to a video Trump shared on his Truth Social platform earlier this month, which portrayed Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Trump maintained he had not viewed the video in its entirety before directing an aide to publish it on his behalf.

Several Democratic congresswomen attended the address wearing 'suffragist' white in solidarity with women's rights.

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico, who chairs the Democratic Women's Caucus, told CBS News: "This year, there are specific attacks on women's ability to vote. The Democratic Women's Caucus is wearing white both to honor that fight that women have always had and to signal we are still in the fight."

Some members of Congress are avoiding tonight's address, after Democrat leaders encouraged them to remain absent rather than interrupt the speech with an attention-seeking gesture.

Trump is heading into the State of the Union address with worse approval ratings than any president in modern history.

A Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted this week revealed that 60% of Americans disapprove of Trump's performance in office, with 47% expressing strong disapproval.

Just 39% said they approved of his performance, the lowest of any President ahead of a second-year State of the Union in modern history.

An individual dressed in a formal suit and tie is standing in a crowded room with other formally dressed individuals, possibly a

Donald Trump faced a placard stating "black people aren't apes" (Image: undefined)

The last time Trump's disapproval reached 60% was shortly after the January 6th Insurrection in the final days of his first term.

Only 29% of Americans believe the country is heading in the right direction, according to the most recent AP-NORC poll. The majority, 69%, feel the nation is moving in the wrong direction.

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That pessimism is higher than it was when Trump took office last year. Last March, around 6 in 10 Americans felt the country was heading in the wrong direction.

This is partly due to Republicans' mood growing considerably darker last autumn, following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Republicans are now more optimistic than they were several months ago, yet only around 6 in 10 believe the country is heading in the right direction, down from approximately 7 in 10 last March.