Johnson Defends Keeping Democrats During Trump’s Address
House Speaker Mike Johnson chose not to remove certain Democrats from President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, believing it was important for the public to see their “shameful” behavior firsthand. During the speech, Democratic Representatives Ilhan Omar from Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib from Michigan shouted at Trump, yet Johnson decided against their exclusion.
In an interview with Newsmax following the event, Johnson suggested he had the authority to eject members but believed that Trump managed the situation adeptly. He expressed, “It was a very disgraceful act. It happened several times. There were several members of Congress who could have been ejected from the chamber for their actions, but the president handled it well.” He added that revealing their actions would provide clarity to the American public about the shame they were bringing upon themselves.
Johnson also criticized the timing of when Democrats chose to stand and sit during Trump’s remarks. He pointed out, “They stood up at the wrong time and refused to stand when they should have. They applauded themselves for voting against the Working Families Tax Cut, which means imposing the largest tax increase on the American people in history. That video will be very valuable for us in the future.”
Moreover, he highlighted their refusal to stand when Trump stated, “The first job of this country’s government is to protect Americans, not to protect illegal aliens.” Johnson said their silence during that statement contrasted sharply with their earlier applause, asserting that their actions spoke volumes about their priorities.
Omar and Tlaib’s outbursts came when Trump urged Congress members to stand if they agreed the U.S. should prioritize protecting Americans over illegal immigrants. In response, Trump chastised the Democrats, saying, “[Democrats] You should be ashamed of yourself because you are blocking the deportation of these people,” as the Congresswomen shouted back.
Furthermore, during Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress in March 2025, many Democratic members did not stand to honor the families of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nangaray, who tragically lost their lives due to illegal immigration during former President Joe Biden’s term.
