Al Green removed from Trump’s SOTU 2026 after holding sign reading 'Black people aren’t apes!' | VIDEO

Only moments into Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address, Representative Al Green of Texas rose from his seat and refused to sit, holding aloft a stark handwritten sign that read: “Black people aren’t apes!” Within minutes, security officials escorted the 79-year-old Democrat from the House chamber, bringing a swift and combustible interruption to an address already marked by partisan fracture.

The protest, silent but visually unmistakable, referred to a racist video clip recently shared by the president depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. Green’s action transformed the early minutes of the annual constitutional ceremony into a scene of confrontation, jeers and nationalist chants.

A man — possibly from security — moved towards him as Senator Markwayne Mullin approached again in what witnesses described as a menacing posture. Other Republican lawmakers attempted to obstruct the cameras’ view.

Representative Steve Scalise, entering alongside the president, noticed the placard and sought to seize it. Senators Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Roger Marshall of Kansas stood in front of Green in an apparent effort to shield the sign from both the president and television lenses.

As Green made his way up the aisle, leaning on his walking stick and clutching the sign, several Republicans engaged in heated exchanges. Chants of “USA! USA!” reverberated through the chamber. Representative Troy Nehls of Texas leaned into the aisle and made repeated attempts to grab the placard as Green exited.

After Green was escorted through the chamber doors, Trump paused only briefly, saying “thank you” before continuing with his remarks.

Green’s seat remained empty save for a handwritten cardboard sign reading: “Al Green.”

This year’s demonstration was quieter but no less symbolically charged. Democratic leaders had cautioned members against overt displays, urging decorum and restraint to avoid distracting from the address. Some outspoken critics of the president opted not to attend at all, instead participating in counterprogramming events elsewhere in Washington.

Green, however, chose visibility.

The entire episode unfolded in a matter of minutes, yet it crystallised the tensions that have come to define Trump’s second term: disputes not merely over policy, but over language, race, institutional norms and the boundaries of protest within Congress itself.