A tense moment during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech has continued to impact Washington and Texas. A protest within the chamber led to demands for discipline and unexpected pushback from conservative watchers.
As President Trump, 79, walked up to the podium to give his speech at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on February 24, cameras were focused on him. But before he could start, the scene shifted. Texas Congressman Al Green stopped the proceedings to hold up a banner that said, “Black people are not apes.”
The notification was about a post that had been deleted from Trump’s Truth Social platform. The image that showed former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes got a lot of negative publicity before it was taken down.
Green was kicked out of the chamber because of his protest. Shortly after that, Ohio Republican Representative Mike Rulli said he was talking to House GOP leaders about formally punishing Green for what he called “inappropriate conduct.”
“I’m looking for as many co-sponsors from our conference as possible,” Rulli, 59, vented at Fox News Digital. “And I’m reaching across the aisle for anyone over there that was embarrassed by their own guy.”
Rulli characterized Green’s actions as disruptive and unacceptable.
“We can’t really put up with that kind of conduct in Congress. Something had to be done,” he added.
Later, the House of Representatives decided to condemn Green for protesting against Trump in March 2025. This showed that there were still ongoing tensions tied to confrontations involving the president.
However, when Fox News posted coverage of the most recent censure effort online, all agree with it. Instead of a lot of applause for discipline, many viewers were angry. Not just about Green’s firing, but also about the dispute that led to it.
Several social media users defended the Texas congressman, arguing that protest is a protected right and that the focus should also remain on the original post that triggered the demonstration.
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One person wrote, “Accountability should go both ways. If someone disrupts an official address, there should be consequences. If you posted the racist meme, there are consequences.”
Another commenter added, “Why are Republicans always trying to crush free speech? Dude’s protesting with a sign about racism! Bold!”
A third user expressed a more nuanced view: “Censure may address the disruption. It doesn’t address the issue raised. Optics are easy. Hard conversations aren’t.”
There were also voices supporting the reprimand. One online individual stated, “About time. You can’t keep disrespecting the institution and get a free pass. Rules apply to everyone.”
The controversy traces back to early February, when White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed criticism surrounding the now-deleted post. Speaking on February 6, Leavitt dismissed the uproar.
“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King. Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public,” she said.
After the post was removed, Trump defended himself directly on Truth Social, writing, “I didn’t make a mistake.”
The episode has split Congress and shown cracks in the support of conservative audiences. Republican leaders are trying to keep order in the chamber, but the internet response demonstrates that for many viewers, the issue is bigger than parliamentary procedures.
For some, the argument is about protest and how institutions should work. For others, it is still about race, speech, and responsibility. This is a clash of politics and principle that is happening in Congress and online.
