Mullin and Rep. Al Green clash as protest sign prompts removal during Trump’s 2026 address
Brief confrontation erupts minutes before the speech begins
WASHINGTON — A brief but highly visible confrontation involving U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, unfolded on the House floor as President Donald Trump entered the chamber to deliver the 2026 State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026.
Green, positioned near the front of the chamber, held a sign reading “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES!” as the president arrived and as the opening moments of the address began. Multiple accounts and video from the floor show Mullin moving toward Green and attempting to take the sign from his hands. Green maintained his hold on the sign as lawmakers and security personnel converged in the aisle.
Green escorted out by the House Sergeant at Arms
Within roughly the first two minutes of the president’s remarks, Green was escorted from the chamber by the House Sergeant at Arms. Footage shows Green leaving while still holding the sign and exchanging words with Republican lawmakers as he moved up the aisle. In the chamber, some Republicans chanted “USA” during the removal.
The sign referenced a racist video shared earlier in February on the president’s social media that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The video was later deleted, and the episode remained a focal point of Democratic criticism during the lead-up to the address.
Mullin’s public response and the political stakes
After the incident, Mullin described the episode in sharply personal terms and characterized the protest as “political theater.” The clash quickly circulated online, adding to the national attention on disruptions surrounding high-profile presidential addresses.
The episode also placed renewed focus on escalating tensions in the chamber over decorum and protest. While lawmakers frequently use visual cues such as coordinated attire or planned absences, direct disruptions can trigger immediate intervention by House leadership and security officials charged with maintaining order during a joint session.
Not Green’s first removal during a Trump address
Green’s removal on Feb. 24, 2026, followed a similar incident during Trump’s March 4, 2025, address to a joint session of Congress. In that earlier event, Green verbally interrupted the president and was directed to leave after refusing to sit down. The House later voted to censure him over the 2025 disruption.
What happens next
In the aftermath of the 2026 removal, House Republicans began discussing possible disciplinary action. A censure resolution was introduced, though Republicans have signaled differing views about whether to pursue another formal rebuke.
The confrontation highlighted how protests during major national addresses have increasingly become flashpoints, with actions on the floor rapidly shifting attention away from the speech itself and toward internal conflict inside Congress.
- Date of incident: Feb. 24, 2026 (State of the Union address)
- Key figures: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Rep. Al Green (D-Texas)
- Immediate outcome: Green removed from the chamber by the House Sergeant at Arms
- Potential follow-up: Discussion and introduction of a censure resolution