US Democratic Representative Al Green says he confronted Trump over Obama video

WASHINGTON - Democratic US Representative Al Green said he confronted President Donald Trump

at his State of the Union speech

over a “deplorable” video on the Republican’s social media account earlier in February depicting former president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama as apes.

As Mr Trump entered the House chamber, Mr Green, of Texas, unfurled a white sign that read: “Black people aren’t apes.” The White House eventually took down the video and Mr Trump said a staffer had posted it.

“I wanted him to know that portraying President Obama and First Lady Obama as members of the primate family is not only unacceptable, it is something that is deplorable and something we will not tolerate,” Mr Green said in an interview with Reuters in the Capitol after being ejected from Mr Trump’s speech.

Mr Green, who first came to the House in 2005, said he positioned himself inside the House chamber at a seat on the aisle that Mr Trump would have to walk up on his way to the podium.

It was the second year in a row Mr Green was ejected from Mr Trump’s speech to Congress, after having yelled at him during the 2025 address.

“Judging from the look on his face that he turned away quickly, he was at a moment of vulnerability because he’s not confronted by people who are willing to speak truth to him,” Mr Green said.

Asked whether he could face additional punishment from the Republican-controlled House, Mr Green responded that he did not know but “the consequences are subservient to what happened”. REUTERS