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Democrats looking to ‘express our outrage’ at Trump’s speech tonight - they just don’t know how

Holding up egg cartons, walking out and wearing certain colors are reportedly a few of the ways House Democrats are considering showing their ‘outrage’ during the president’s speech

Kelly Rissman
in New York
Tuesday 04 March 2025 14:37 GMT
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Trump says Zelensky should be 'more appreciative' of US support to Ukraine

House Democrats are discussing a way to "productively" disrupt President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress — but they haven’t come to a consensus on the best protest tactic, according to a report.

Democrats are considering a range of plans to protest against Trump’s joint Congressional address Tuesday evening, Axios reported. Others are weighing other tactics, such as boycotting the speech, but they are aligned in trying to find a way to convey “outrage” at how the president’s first two months in office have gone.

“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 the outlet.

Congress members may even hold up noisemakers or other props to demonstrate their frustration.

Some of these ideas include displaying eggs or empty egg cartons — to comment on the all-time high prices. Another is pocket constitutions — to comment on his alleged Constitutional violations — and anti-Trump and Department of Government Efficiency signs, the outlet reported.

Lawmakers were explicitly urged against using props at recent meetings, two Democratic lawmakers told the outlet.

President Donald Trump is set to give a speech to Congress Tuesday evening — and House Democrats are figuring out a way to disrupt it. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously ripped up Trump’s speech behind him at the 2020 State of the Union
President Donald Trump is set to give a speech to Congress Tuesday evening — and House Democrats are figuring out a way to disrupt it. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously ripped up Trump’s speech behind him at the 2020 State of the Union (AP)

Other House Democrats are contemplating walking out if he crosses a line when mentioning certain stances, such as criticism of transgender children, one lawmaker told the outlet.

Not everyone is convinced a protest is the right move.

“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," a House Democrat told Axios.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote a letter Monday to House Democrats that he understands if they choose to ditch the speech, but encouraged a "strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber." He and other party leaders plan to attend the speech in order "make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance,” he wrote.

Others still are planning to convey their disapproval through their wardrobes.

The Democratic Women's Caucus is encouraging all of its members to wear pink, Congresswomen from the Congressional Black Caucus are discussing sporting black, and the Ukraine Caucus co-chair, Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur, is planning on doling out blue and yellow scarves — the colors of Ukraine’s flag — to show support for Volodymyr Zelensky after last week’s disastrous Oval Office meeting.

"Whether we are wearing pink, or black, or yellow and blue, we are all conveying our displeasure with this administration," Virgin Islands Rep. Stacey Plaskett told Axios. "What's more important is our work together and the pressure for three Republicans to do the right thing for everyone.”

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson last week insisted Republicans show “decorum” during the president’s Tuesday speech.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wears a Laken Riley shirt as she arrives before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in March 2024
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wears a Laken Riley shirt as she arrives before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in March 2024 (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

But this type of decorum during presidential addresses seems to have gone out the window in recent years.

During former President Joe Biden’s state of the union, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene handed out Laken Riley pins and shouted at him to “say her name” during his address.

Four years earlier, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi showed dissent during Trump’s last state of the union address of his first term when she ripped up a copy of his speech. She later explained the move to reporters: “It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternative.”

Former South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson famously yelled, “You lie!” during Obama’s 2009 State of the Union. He was later reprimanded by the House for the outburst.

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