U.S. Rep. Al Green of Houston removed from President Trump’s State of the Union address

For the second straight year, U.S. Rep. Al Green was removed from President Trump’s address to Congress.

As the president was entering the House chamber to deliver the State of the Union address, Green was holding a sign that read, “Black people aren’t apes.” It was a reference to a video that was posted to Trump’s Truth Social account earlier this month that included the images of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

The House Sergeant at Arms approached and escorted Green from the chamber barely two minutes into the address.

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Two Trump allies, Rep. Troy Nehls of Fort Bend County and Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, had approached the area where Green was sitting before Capitol Police escorted him out. Video shows Nehls grabbing the sign as Green was escorted out.

Before Green exited, some Republicans began chanting “USA.”

It’s the second straight year that the Houston lawmaker was removed from a Trump address. Last year, Green was removed from Trump’s speech to the joint session of Congress when he had an outburst over the Medicaid cuts in the president’s budget bill.

Green has been an ardent critic of Trump since the president’s first term. Twice last year, Green mounted unsuccessful impeachment efforts.