During the State of the Union address, Texas Democratic Congressman Al Green was removed from the chamber after displaying a sign that read, "BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT APES!" This protest was in response to a video that Donald Trump had shared on social media, in which former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama were depicted as apes. Despite later deleting the video, Trump did not apologize for the post, sparking further controversy.

Green was positioned near the front of the chamber and began holding the sign even before Trump entered. Some Republican members of Congress demanded he lower it, while others attempted to physically take it from him. Green stood resolutely, maintaining his silent protest against what he deemed a racist depiction until he was forcibly escorted out of the event, highlighting the tensions surrounding race and political discourse in the current climate.

The incident underscores ongoing racial issues within political arenas, as well as the potential repercussions for speaking out against racist imagery. Green's removal could be seen as a silencing of dissenting voices in moments where racial equity is at the forefront of political conversations, reminding the public of the intense divisions in contemporary American politics, particularly concerning the portrayal of Black Americans in media and political rhetoric.