At least a dozen Democrats in Congress announced on Wednesday that they plan to skip President Donald Trump’s upcoming State of the Union address set for Tuesday, opting instead to organize their own rally in Washington, D.C.
Reportedly, this group includes five senators and seven representatives, along with “other elected officials, leaders, and advocates” who will be revealed soon. They intend to gather on the National Mall near the Capitol on the same night as Trump’s address. A press release denotes this event, organized by MoveOn Civic Action and MediasTouch, as a “reverse planning rally for President Trump’s night of lies.”
Moderators for the event are set to be leftist commentators Joy Reid and Katie Pan, as mentioned in the release.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen from Maryland commented, “I do not intend to normalize Donald Trump’s march toward fascism by attending the State of the Union. We cannot pretend this is business as usual.” He expressed that he looks forward to joining true patriots opposing Trump’s policies during the rally.
Democratic Representative Yasamin Ansari from Arizona echoed similar sentiments, recalling that she walked out of last year’s address to avoid normalizing what she views as a corrupt dictatorship.
Both Van Hollen and Ansari previously made headlines in 2025 related to a funded trip to El Salvador involving a reported MS-13 gang member. Others joining the rally include Washington state Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Vermont Rep. Becca Balint, who have claimed that the Department of Justice tracked their search history over Epstein-related files, using it against them.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, who also plans to skip the address, argued that attending would give credibility to the corruption and wrongdoing prevalent in society.
The press release detailed additional Democrats set to boycott; this list includes Senators Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, and Tina Smith, as well as several representatives from different states.
The exact number of lawmakers attending the rally remains uncertain.
MoveOn Program Director Sarah Hagdoosti remarked on Trump’s initial year in office, stating he made lives worse by cutting healthcare and passing tax breaks that favored the wealthy. She insisted that this year’s State of the Union cannot be treated as business as usual.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has advised colleagues to either attend with “silent defiance” or skip it, wanting to avoid past disruptions that displeased Democratic leadership.
Democratic Congressman Al Green previously disrupted a Trump speech, resulting in Trump’s removal. Several other lawmakers were called to account for disruptions in the past.
Ben Measles from MeidasTouch Network, which is co-hosting the rally, mentioned that they decided against broadcasting the State of the Union live, aiming instead to provide a platform for pro-democracy lawmakers to discuss policy and resist Trump’s agenda.
