Washington — Dozens of Democrats are boycotting the State of the Union on Tuesday, as many opt to hold nearby counterprogramming rather than signs of protests like those seen within the House chamber in recent years.
Last year, Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas was escorted from the chamber after he stood and shouted in protest during Mr. Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress. Other Democrats protested by holding up signs and wearing statements on their clothing or walking out of the chamber altogether.
But this year, Democrats appeared keen on taking a different approach.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, presented the options for Democrats at a news conference last week.
“The two options that are in front of us in our House is to either attend with silent defiance or to not attend, and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion,” Jeffries said, while pointing to opportunities for participation in alternate programming around the Capitol.
A number of Democrats are set to attend counterprogramming Tuesday on the National Mall, dubbed the “People’s State of the Union.” Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland night are set to attend, along with Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Becca Balint of Vermont and Greg Casar of Texas.
“If Trump will not honor the American people, then the people should turn off his remarks and turn toward each other – toward their neighbors, their communities, and the real power of this country,” Markey said in a statement.
Another counterprogramming event is taking place at the National Press Club earlier in the night called the “State of the Swamp.” Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon is set to attend, along with Reps. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Dan Goldman of New York and Eugene Vindman of Virginia, among others.
Others are expected to boycott the speech without plans for any counterprogramming. A spokesperson for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York said she will not be attending Mr. Trump’s State of the Union address.
Some Democrats are also planning to make a statement with their invited guests. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, who has led Democrats on the Oversight Committee as they pushed for the release of the Epstein files, told reporters he is bringing Annie Farmer, one of the survivors of Epstein’s abuse. Garcia said he will be attending counterprogramming, while Farmer will attend the president’s address.
Still, some Democrats do plan to attend the address. Sen. Richard Blumethal, a Connecticut Democrat, told reporters he will be in attendance because “I think it’s important to confront him face to face.”
“I refuse to let him bully me out of the room, and I will be defiant in whatever way is appropriate, certainly by silence,” Blumenthal said. “I think that others will choose other ways to express their disagreement or disapproval.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Democrats for their plans to boycott the address.
“I think it’s detestable that members would boycott the speech,” Johnson told CBS News ahead of the address. “We’ve never done that. It doesn’t matter if there’s a Democrat president, you go and respect the office, you respect the decorum, the institution, the tradition of having had this speech made, and it’s sad to me that Democrats are choosing to opt out of that.”
Jeffries pushed back on the speaker’s comments, saying, “Mike Johnson and House Republicans are not in a position to lecture anyone about decorum.”
“Not with this president, who’s completely and totally out of control in every way possible,” Jeffries said.
