A US Democratic lawmaker confronted US President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address over a video shared on the social media account of the Republican leader earlier this month showing former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
Democratic US Congressman Al Green confronted Trump after he entered the chamber where the US Congress was gathered for the address.
Green is a US representative from the state of Texas and has been a member of Congress since 2005. The congressman carried a sign with him that read: “Black people aren’t apes.”
The video was later taken down from the social media account by the White House. The US President said it was done by one of his staff members.
“I wanted him to know that portraying the former President Obama and First Lady Obama as members of the primate family is not only unacceptable, it is something that is deplorable and something we will not tolerate,” Green said in the Capitol building after he was escorted out.
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This was the second year in a row that Green was escorted from the State of the Union address.
In last year’s speech, Green was escorted from the chamber after he yelled at Trump from his seat. In this year’s speech, Green deliberately chose a seat in the aisle where Trump would pass by on his way to the podium.
“Judging from the look on his face that he turned away quickly, he was at a moment of vulnerability because he’s not confronted by people who are willing to speak truth to him,” Green said.
The incident occurred at a time when there was already heightened scrutiny of Trump’s social media usage and the dissemination of racist content.
The video in question, which was heavily criticized by civil rights groups, became a source of controversy at the start of this month.
Trump’s social media department quickly took down the video, and the president admitted that the video was indeed posted by a staffer, though he did not go into further details about who this staffer was.
The action of the video was deemed “offensive and unacceptable” by Congressional Democrats and advocacy groups, while the Republican leaders of the House chose not to comment on the protest or the content of the video.
The incident involving Green illustrates the tension between the efforts of individual members of Congress to protest and the official rules of Congress.
Ejections from the State of the Union address are rare but not unheard of in Congressional history, and members of Congress who engage in such behavior can result in disciplinary action under House rules. However, Green said he was prepared to take such consequences.
When asked whether or not Green would face further disciplinary action from the Republican-controlled House of Representatives for his behavior, Green answered, “I do not know, but the consequences are subservient to what happened.”
The incident highlighted not only the nature of Trump’s social media communication but also the larger issue of holding people accountable for posting racially inflammatory content on the internet.
Members of both parties have expressed concern about the use of official platforms to communicate content that might be considered offensive or derogatory, and this incident highlights the ongoing tension between the White House and certain members of Congress.
Green, who represents the Houston area and has been a vocal critic of Trump since the former president’s campaign in 2016, has previously held public protests and introduced impeachment resolutions against Trump.
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His decision to bring the sign to the State of the Union address was characterized by congressional aides as deliberate and planned, with the intention of confronting the president directly about the inflammatory video.
The event took place in the context of the heightened security measures that are present during a State of the Union address.
Law enforcement personnel quickly escorted Green from the chamber after he held up the sign, and the address proceeded without incident. Video of the event was posted to the internet shortly thereafter.
However, Green’s protest was brief. Nevertheless, it presents an example of the difficulties which leaders of the House of Congress encounter in ensuring decorum during important events where the president, Congress members, Supreme Court justices, and other important officials are present.
The Speaker of the House has discretionary authority to ensure decorum in Congress. The dismissal of Congress members for disruptive behavior is based on precedence.
The White House has not commented on Green’s protest. Congressional officials said that the State of the Union event remained focused on the legislative agenda of the administration.
However, Green said that his protest was intended to deliver a strong message about racial sensitivity and responsibility.
“What happened here is not about me,” Green said. “It’s about ensuring that those in positions of power recognize the impact of their actions and the messages they circulate.”
