President Donald Trump‘s first address to Congress since he was re-elected was a high-drama moment in America’s new government, not least because of Democratic Texas Representative Al Green’s ejection from the joint session for heckling the president.
While Trump claimed during the joint session on Tuesday to have ended “all government censorship,” Green was removed for shouting “You have no mandate” at the president, claiming Trump may intend to cut Medicaid.
House Speaker Mike Johnson intervened, calling for order in the chamber, before directing Green to be removed as the Texas Representative continued to shout.
Republicans have already begun moving to censure Green for the disruption, with different resolutions circulating for his remarks.
While Green is not the only Member of the House to have interrupted a president during a joint session, he appears to be the first in recent history at least to have received marching orders for doing so.
Newsweek has contacted media representatives for the White House and Al Green via email for comment.
What Rules Govern Behavior in The House?
The Rules of the House of Representatives states: “The Speaker shall preserve order and decorum and, in the case of disturbance or disorderly conduct in the gallery or in the lobby, may cause the same to be cleared.”
Green could face censure for his behavior, whereby the house recognizes its disapproval of a member’s action as a matter of record, intended to serve as a public condemnation.
Members may also be reprimanded, which registers the House’s disapproval of conduct, but is considered less severe than censure.
Who Has Been Punished for Speaking Out?
Former House members have been censured for comments and actions outside the House and, in examples consigned to the 19th century, for using “Unparliamentary language” during debate. However, there appear to be no recent examples of censure for a protest or an outburst.
In 2009, Republican South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson was reprimanded for interrupting former President Barack Obama‘s remarks before a joint session, which was considered a “breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings.” Wilson shouted, “You lie,” as Obama said universal healthcare plans would not cover illegal immigrants. However, Wilson was allowed to remain in the Chamber for the session.
More recently, Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene interrupted former President Joe Biden during his State of the Union Addresses in 2024, 2023, and 2022.
Greene shouted, “You, you lie!” toward the president in 2023 and tried to start a chant of “Build the wall” alongside Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert in 2022. In 2024, she interrupted Biden over the death of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was killed by Jose Birra, 26, who arrived in the U.S. in September 2022, having crossed the southwest U.S. border illegally in El Paso, Texas.
While Greene was threatened with removal from the House for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat during the 2024 address, she was not removed from the Chamber for that or any of the other instances in which she interrupted the former president.
What Happens Now?
Green faces the possibility of censure. Washington Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse formally introduced a resolution to the House on Wednesday that argues his behavior was a “breach of proper conduct.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson told The Hill that Green’s behavior was “absolutely shameful” and said he supported censure. Speaking to Good Morning America, Johnson defended his decision, saying: “If the Democrats want a 77-year-old congressman to be the face of their resistance, heckling the president, then bring it on.
“But we couldn’t allow that on the House floor,” he added.
Green hit back after being removed saying he was “working on” Articles of Impeachment against the president.
“This president is unfit. He should not hold the office—34 felony convictions, two times impeached,” Green added.
Green has pushed for Trump’s impeachment multiple times, including last month following Trump’s suggestion that the United States should take control of the Gaza Strip. It is not anticipated that his newest impeachment plans will move forward.
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