Top House Democrats privately confronted disruptors of President Donald Trump’s address to Congress, according to Axios.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had asked Democrats not to play havoc during Trump’s address to Congress prior to the Tuesday speech, and advised his colleagues to be “strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber,” according to a letter obtained by Axios.
Those who disrupted the speech were reprimanded for their antics during leadership meetings and discussions this week, Axios reported.
About a dozen interrupters were rebuked on Thursday morning, including Democratic Reps. Melanie Stansbury, Jasmine Crockett, Maxwell Frost and Maxine Dexter in what Crockett described as a “come to Jesus meeting.”
Jefferies, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar were present in the meeting, Axios confirmed. A spokesperson for Jeffries declined to address the private meeting, the outlet reported.
Several Democrats pulled stunts to divert attention from Trump during his address. Democratic Texas Rep. Al Green was kicked out of the chamber minutes into the speech for yelling that Trump did not have a “mandate.” Others wore pink to protest Trump’s policies they claim are “devastating women,” and some held up signs reading “this is not normal.” (RELATED: Trump Overpowers Democrat Protests With Verbal Highlight Reel Of First Six Weeks In Office)
(L-R, front) Members of Democratic House leadership US Representative Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Representative Katherine Clark (D-MA) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) listen as US President Donald Trump speaks during an address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump’s address continued with few interruptions after Green was removed from the chamber.
Democrats were under fire in the days following the address for their conduct during the speech, particularly for refusing to stand for a 13-year-old boy diagnosed with brain cancer.
Democratic Texas Rep. Greg Casar told the DCNF when asked if it was “the right decision” for Democrats to not stand for the boy being honored by Trump that “every Democrat stands with enormous respect for the American people, whether they agree with us or not, and especially for those who are ill and struggling.”
“And I think you saw that respect last night as we respected those Americans,” Casar continued. “But we do not respect Donald Trump and Elon Musk taking cancer treatment away from families.”
Democratic California Rep. Aguilar told Axios that leadership is requesting that its members “focus on the health and safety and the economic wellbeing of our constituents.”
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