Democrats showed their internal party division in the wake of President Donald Trump's first speech to Congress.
Democrats who are part of the leadership or along the facility snatched Trump through more than 90 minutes of speech on Tuesday. The party faces pressure from grassroots organisations to take a more fighting approach to dismantling the Trump administration's federal bureaucracy.
While moderate Democrats are unhappy with progressive's confusion, Progressive has complained about his lack of direction and clear strategy ahead of Trump's first joint session speech since he began his second term.
“People are also upset about their leadership,” a senior House Democrat told Axios. “Everyone is mad at everyone.”
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Vice President J.D. V. V. V. V. V. and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R.-La. praises President Donald Trump for addressing the Congressional joint session on March 4, 2025. (Get McNamee/Getty Images)
Rep. George Latimer (DN.Y.) told Axios he believes the explosion is “inappropriate.”
“When my president, your president, your president, you president, we don't interrupt, we don't pull those stunts,” he said.
R-La. House Speaker Mike Johnson escorted D-Texas Rep. Al Green from the room after Democrats repeatedly jeered with Trump while waving their wands during their speech. Some Democrats have warned their colleagues against protesting Trump, but a former speaker from former house Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) told him they should “stew with their own juices.”
Nevertheless, Democrats protested and remained in their seats when Trump praised his policies, embracing signs that read “fake,” “lie,” “Musk Steel,” and “Save Medicaid.” Some female Democrats wore pink suits in protest of policies they claimed to be anti-women, while others had heard that they had hit Trump through their speech.
“I obviously don't tolerate that approach,” Centralist Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine told Axios.
“If anyone thinks it's an effective strategy, they're probably in the echo chamber,” Golden added. “My view is that the average American thought optics were pretty bad.
Rep. D-Texas Al Green will be removed from the room as President Donald Trump is working on a joint US Congress meeting on March 4, 2025. (Chip Somod Villa/Getty Image)
“I think that was a big mistake,” Dn.Y. Rep. Tom Suzzi told Axios of confusion. “I'm the old school traditional type of guy. I think we should treat the president with respect, so I think it was inappropriate.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) took him to X to condemn “the sad cavalry of self-owned and indifferent Petulance.”
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“It just seems like it's more of a suppression of Trump with the president,” he wrote of the Democrats' explosion. “We are becoming a critical car alarm that no one pays attention to. That may not be a victory message.”
“I don't think that's the path to the future,” Fetterman added to Axios.
DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old surviving cancer, stole the show Tuesday evening when Trump introduced him to the audience and officially vowed as a member of the Secret Service. Daniel received a standing ovation from the majority of the crowd, but Democrats were seen sitting at various times while Trump spoke about the 13-year-old.
“It would have been a great strategy not to stand for Trump, but you need to separate him from the child with cancer,” another House Democrat told Axios, denounced his party's message.
Congressional Democrats hold signs that say, “Save Medicaid” and “Protect Veterans,” as President Donald Trump speaks on March 4, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
“It's a compliment to call it a strategy,” the lawmaker added, saying that the signs of progression refer to a term called “Trump Flangement Syndrome” to be edited online and read “TDS.”
Meanwhile, Progressive argued that the lack of direction from leadership forced them to develop their own approach.
“The lack of guidance definitely caused me frustration. [or a] The plan,” one of the progressive members of the Congress told Axios.
“People are very upset that we haven't gotten any further direction from leadership,” added another progressive.
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Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash. plans to bring a resolution Thursday to condemn Green for “violation of proper conduct,” and some Democrats, including Golden and DN.C., of Rep. Don Davis, have not ruled out that support it, Axios reported.
“what [Green] DID was inappropriate – and he became a story, not an egg price,” a centrist House Democrat told Axios.
Emma Colton from Fox News contributed to this report.
