How Many Times Have Democrats Disrupted a Trump State of the Union Address?
This deserves loud pushback.
As Americans tune in to President Donald Trump’s fourth official State of the Union address Tuesday, they may expect Democrats to make a scene of one sort or another.
Twelve Democrats have announced they will boycott the speech and instead attend the “People’s State of the Union,” an event organized by the leftist group .
About 60 Democrats boycotted Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., boycotted his address to a joint session of Congress that year (Trump’s speeches in 2017 and 2025 did not count as official State of the Union addresses).
Eleven Democrats said they would boycott the State of the Union in 2018, and others boycotted the 2020 speech (including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Al Green, D-Texas).
Many Democrats, however, stayed and disrupted the speeches—as many likely will on Tuesday.
1. Laughter
In Feb. 2017, when Trump said, “We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption,” Democrats laughed and booed.
1?2017 Laughter
When President Trump said, "We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption," Democrats laughed and booed.
?2/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
2. Not Clapping for Low Unemployment
“Something I’m very proud of, African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded,” Trump said in the January 2018 State of the Union.
Most Democrats refused to stand—and most appear not to have even clapped—for that news.
2?Not cheering low black unemployment
"Something I'm very proud of, African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded," Trump said.
Most Democrats refused to stand—and most appear not to have even clapped—for that news.
?3/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
3. Russiagate Groans
Democrats groaned in the February 2019 State of the Union when Trump condemned “ridiculous partisan investigations,” a nod to the probe into alleged ties between Trump and Russia.
3?Russiagate groans
Democrats groaned when President Trump condemned "ridiculous partisan investigations," a nod to the probe into alleged ties between Trump and Russia.
?4/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
4. Pelosi Tears Up the Speech
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore up the text of Trump’s State of the Union address in February 2020.
About a week later, she explained that she ripped up the speech as a ploy for attention.
Pelosi hadn’t planned to rip up the speech, but when she “realized most every page had something in it that was objectionable,” she thought it would be a good idea to get some attention.
Speaking to CNN, she lamented that her legislative agenda received “very little press,” and she said, “If you want to get press, you have to get attention.”
“So, I thought, well, let’s get attention on the fact that what he said here today was not true,” she explained.
Pelosi later explained the stunt was a ploy for attention.?
?6/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
5. Booing Rush Limbaugh
Trump awarded the Congressional Medal of Freedom to radio host …
This deserves loud pushback.
As Americans tune in to President Donald Trump’s fourth official State of the Union address Tuesday, they may expect Democrats to make a scene of one sort or another.
Twelve Democrats have announced they will boycott the speech and instead attend the “People’s State of the Union,” an event organized by the leftist group .
About 60 Democrats boycotted Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., boycotted his address to a joint session of Congress that year (Trump’s speeches in 2017 and 2025 did not count as official State of the Union addresses).
Eleven Democrats said they would boycott the State of the Union in 2018, and others boycotted the 2020 speech (including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Al Green, D-Texas).
Many Democrats, however, stayed and disrupted the speeches—as many likely will on Tuesday.
1. Laughter
In Feb. 2017, when Trump said, “We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption,” Democrats laughed and booed.
1?2017 Laughter
When President Trump said, "We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption," Democrats laughed and booed.
?2/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
2. Not Clapping for Low Unemployment
“Something I’m very proud of, African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded,” Trump said in the January 2018 State of the Union.
Most Democrats refused to stand—and most appear not to have even clapped—for that news.
2?Not cheering low black unemployment
"Something I'm very proud of, African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded," Trump said.
Most Democrats refused to stand—and most appear not to have even clapped—for that news.
?3/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
3. Russiagate Groans
Democrats groaned in the February 2019 State of the Union when Trump condemned “ridiculous partisan investigations,” a nod to the probe into alleged ties between Trump and Russia.
3?Russiagate groans
Democrats groaned when President Trump condemned "ridiculous partisan investigations," a nod to the probe into alleged ties between Trump and Russia.
?4/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
4. Pelosi Tears Up the Speech
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore up the text of Trump’s State of the Union address in February 2020.
About a week later, she explained that she ripped up the speech as a ploy for attention.
Pelosi hadn’t planned to rip up the speech, but when she “realized most every page had something in it that was objectionable,” she thought it would be a good idea to get some attention.
Speaking to CNN, she lamented that her legislative agenda received “very little press,” and she said, “If you want to get press, you have to get attention.”
“So, I thought, well, let’s get attention on the fact that what he said here today was not true,” she explained.
Pelosi later explained the stunt was a ploy for attention.?
?6/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
5. Booing Rush Limbaugh
Trump awarded the Congressional Medal of Freedom to radio host …
How Many Times Have Democrats Disrupted a Trump State of the Union Address?
This deserves loud pushback.
As Americans tune in to President Donald Trump’s fourth official State of the Union address Tuesday, they may expect Democrats to make a scene of one sort or another.
Twelve Democrats have announced they will boycott the speech and instead attend the “People’s State of the Union,” an event organized by the leftist group .
About 60 Democrats boycotted Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., boycotted his address to a joint session of Congress that year (Trump’s speeches in 2017 and 2025 did not count as official State of the Union addresses).
Eleven Democrats said they would boycott the State of the Union in 2018, and others boycotted the 2020 speech (including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Al Green, D-Texas).
Many Democrats, however, stayed and disrupted the speeches—as many likely will on Tuesday.
1. Laughter
In Feb. 2017, when Trump said, “We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption,” Democrats laughed and booed.
1?2017 Laughter
When President Trump said, "We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption," Democrats laughed and booed.
?2/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
2. Not Clapping for Low Unemployment
“Something I’m very proud of, African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded,” Trump said in the January 2018 State of the Union.
Most Democrats refused to stand—and most appear not to have even clapped—for that news.
2?Not cheering low black unemployment
"Something I'm very proud of, African-American unemployment stands at the lowest rate ever recorded," Trump said.
Most Democrats refused to stand—and most appear not to have even clapped—for that news.
?3/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
3. Russiagate Groans
Democrats groaned in the February 2019 State of the Union when Trump condemned “ridiculous partisan investigations,” a nod to the probe into alleged ties between Trump and Russia.
3?Russiagate groans
Democrats groaned when President Trump condemned "ridiculous partisan investigations," a nod to the probe into alleged ties between Trump and Russia.
?4/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
4. Pelosi Tears Up the Speech
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore up the text of Trump’s State of the Union address in February 2020.
About a week later, she explained that she ripped up the speech as a ploy for attention.
Pelosi hadn’t planned to rip up the speech, but when she “realized most every page had something in it that was objectionable,” she thought it would be a good idea to get some attention.
Speaking to CNN, she lamented that her legislative agenda received “very little press,” and she said, “If you want to get press, you have to get attention.”
“So, I thought, well, let’s get attention on the fact that what he said here today was not true,” she explained.
Pelosi later explained the stunt was a ploy for attention.?
?6/10
— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) February 23, 2026
5. Booing Rush Limbaugh
Trump awarded the Congressional Medal of Freedom to radio host …
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