AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, is escorted out as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, as Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, watches.
U.S. Rep. Al Green, the Houston Democrat in the midst of a primary fight for his political life, was again removed from the House chamber during a speech by President Donald Trump.
Minutes into Trump’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday in Washington, Green was escorted out.
Last March, Green was removed from the House chamber after interrupting Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress when he shouted and pointed his cane at the president. He was subsequently censured over the outburst.
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On Tuesday night, when Trump walked toward the podium before his speech, Green held up a sign that said, “Black People Aren’t Apes!” It was a reference to a racist video Trump’s social media account made and subsequently deleted earlier this month that depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
The 78-year-old Green, the longtime representative of the 9th Congressional District, is seeking reelection in the newly redrawn 18th Congressional District. He switched after Texas Republicans undertook a rare mid-decade redistricting — at the behest of Trump — in an attempt to help the GOP win up to five additional congressional seats in Texas during the November midterm.
Green is facing U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee, 37, in the March 3 primary. Menefee was recently sworn in to Congress after winning a special election runoff to complete the term of late U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner. The seat was vacant for nearly a year, which helped Republicans maintain a slim advantage in the House and push through Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill.
Menefee did not attend the State of the Union Address. He remained in Houston to attend a community meeting as well as a council meeting for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
Green has been a frequent critic of Trump, filing articles of impeachment against the president multiple times last year. The last time was in June, after the U.S. launched military strikes on Iran without seeking authorization from Congress.