Democratic Rep. Al Green could soon face an official censure by the House following his dramatic removal from President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night. The Texas lawmaker was ejected from the chamber after shouting out in protest during the speech, sparking a heated reaction from Republican members.
House Moves to Censure Green
On Wednesday morning, Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse introduced a resolution to formally censure Green for his outburst, surpassing three other similar measures proposed by GOP lawmakers from Arizona and Texas. A censure is a formal reprimand issued by Congress for disorderly behavior, requiring a full House vote for approval.
House Speaker Mike Johnson ordered the sergeant at arms to remove Green after he interrupted Trump’s speech. Green stood up and shouted, “You have no mandate!” as Trump addressed lawmakers. The Republican side of the chamber drowned him out with chants of “USA! USA!”.
Despite being asked to sit down and remain quiet, Green refused to comply, prompting Speaker Johnson to take action. As Green was escorted out, Republican lawmakers stood and cheered, shouting “Get out!” in unison.
What Did Green Protest?
As security led him away, Green continued to voice his discontent, yelling:
“You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!”
Green, 77 years old, has been a longtime critic of Trump. Since 2017, he has spearheaded multiple impeachment efforts against the former president, including the first impeachment attempt over Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey.
In January 2025, Green announced plans to introduce new articles of impeachment against Trump, this time over his handling of the war in Gaza. During his floor speech, Green declared:
“The movement to impeach the president has begun. I rise to announce that I will bring Articles of Impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done. Ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not a joke, especially when it emanates from the president of the United States, the most powerful person in the world.”
A Divided Congress Reacts
Green wasn’t the only Democrat to disrupt the speech. Throughout Trump’s address, multiple Democratic lawmakers interjected, shouting “Not true!” and “Those are lies!”. California Rep. Gil Cisneros even yelled: “Talk about the $400 million to Tesla!”, while other representatives held protest signs reading “Musk steals.”
Additionally, several high-profile Democrats staged a walkout, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Reps. Veronica Escobar, Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, and Jamie Raskin. Some of them wore shirts with ‘RESIST’ printed on the back in silent protest.
What Happens Next?
Speaker Johnson has publicly stated that Green should be censured for his actions. The House is expected to vote on the censure resolution this week, determining whether Green will face formal punishment.
While Trump’s speech sparked strong reactions from both sides of the aisle, there was one unexpected moment of unity. When Trump acknowledged U.S. financial aid to Ukraine, he received more applause from Democrats than Republicans—a rare moment of bipartisan agreement in an otherwise deeply divided chamber.
The fallout from this chaotic congressional session will likely continue, with Green’s fate hanging in the balance.
