Democrats admit staying seated when Trump asked about prioritizing Americans

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President Donald Trump’s question during the State of the Union address highlighted divisions in the chamber, with many Democratic lawmakers remaining seated when asked if they prioritize American citizens over illegal immigrants.

“Jesse Watters Primetime” producer Johnny Belisario traveled to Capitol Hill to track down the lawmakers who stayed silent and ask what they thought of the president’s speech.

“The president asked Democrats to stand up if they prioritize American citizens over illegal aliens. Did you stand?” Belisario asked.

“I didn’t stand,” admitted Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer. He dismissed the moment as a “gotcha question.” When pressed if Trump “got” him, Hoyer disagreed with the characterization.

Donald Trump standing at a podium and speaking during the State of the Union address in the House chamber.

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, D.C., Tuesday as Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson clap. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)

Other Democrats echoed the sentiment, with Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal labeling the moment a cheap “gimmick.” Arizona’s Sen. Mark Kelly defended his silence, claiming lawmakers aren’t there to “perform.”

Belisario also questioned Texas Rep. Al Green who for the second year in a row was ejected from the chamber after holding a protest sign that read “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES!”

When asked about his priorities, Green said his duty is to “the American Constitution, which protects you, aliens and people in this country.”

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Green argued he was engaging in “good trouble” during the outburst and blamed his colleagues for escalating the situation.

Rep. Al Green holds 'BLACK PEOPLE ARENT APES' sign

Rep. Al Green holds up a sign as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“It was my colleagues that reached over to rip things out of my hand and said things to me. So, I did not create a disturbance, they did,” said Green.

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Texas GOP Rep. Troy Nehls, who ripped Green’s sign, had a different view of the protest.

“I said, ‘Al, you’ve got to be better than this. What the hell are you bringing this sign on here? I mean, Al. You got kicked out of here last year. Now you’re [going to] try to do a two-fer,'” Nehls said, accusing Green of staging a spectacle to “get his mug on television.”

Anna Zarutska recognized during State of the Union address.

Anna Zarutska, the mother of Iryna Zarutska, is recognized by President Donald Trump during the State of the Union address in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

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The House GOP is moving to censure Green for the disturbance. They also censured him in March 2025 over a similar protest during a Trump speech.

While the House GOP moves to censure Green again, some in his own party disagreed with the protests. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman also called for decorum, stating, “I just don’t think we should ever do that. We should respect the office, regardless who’s in that office.”