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.
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 posted and subsequently deleted earlier this month that depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
“I don't think the president has really received the message that it's unacceptable,” Green told reporters after his removal. “He seems to think he can do these dastardly things with impunity. Tonight I wanted him to have a person confront him and let him know that Black people aren't apes, that Black people are not going to tolerate this kind of behavior.”
.@RepAlGreen speaks to the media following his removal from the State of the Union address: “Tonight, I wanted him to have a person confront him and let him know that Black people aren’t apes.” pic.twitter.com/MYbBVsAwpF
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 25, 2026
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), according to his office.
Green has been a frequent critic of Trump, having filed articles of impeachment against the president multiple times. The last time was in June, after the U.S. launched military strikes on Iran without seeking authorization from Congress.
While holding up his sign Tuesday, Green encountered U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, a Republican from the Houston area who has been a strong supporter of Trump. Nehls is not seeking reelection, instead endorsing his twin brother, Trever Nehls, for the seat in Congressional District 22.
Troy Nehls was accompanied at the State of the Union Address by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for U.S. Senate and taking on incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary. Trump has not made an endorsement in that race, which also includes U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston.
Trump talks about Texas
Trump cited the experience of Raysall Wiggins, a Houston mother of two, when discussing his effort to make home ownership more attainable for Americans. Last month he signed an executive order to prevent investment firms from buying up single-family homes and asked Congress on Tuesday to codify the measure.
Trump said the Houston woman placed bids on 20 homes and lost out on them to “gigantic investment firms that bypassed inspections, paid all cash and turned those houses into rentals, stealing away her American dream.”
An analysis last year by researchers at the American Enterprise Institute found that investors with 100 or more properties own 2.2% of the homes in Houston, according to The Associated Press.
“Good luck with your home,” Trump said during his speech, addressing Wiggins. “You’ll get one soon.”
Trump also discussed the deadly July 4 flooding in the Texas Hill Country, where at least 138 people died. More than 20 of the victims were from the Houston area.
The president highlighted the efforts of a Texas-based rescue swimmer with the U.S. Coast Guard, Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, who is credited with saving more than 160 children, including girls from Camp Mystic. Ruskan was presented with the Legion of Merit for his heroism.
Ruskan will serve as the grand marshal for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s downtown parade on Saturday.
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