Rep. Al Green Disrupts Trump Speech and is Escorted Out
By Katharine Wilson, The Texas Tribune
Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, was escorted out of President Trump's joint address to Congress on Tuesday evening after yelling that Trump had no mandate to cut Medicaid. The congressman had stood up, yelling that the president had no mandate, and was met with chants from the Republican side to be thrown out. Green continued after being warned by officials and said, “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid.”
The congressman was then escorted out of the chamber. Rep. Green, has a history of attention-getting acts and has this year called for Trump to be impeached.
After he was walked out of the House chamber, Green told reporters that this president has used incivility “against our civility.” He added: “I'll accept the punishment. But it's worth it to let people know that there's some of us who are going to stand up to against this president's desire to cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.”
His action was the most disruptive act of protest from Democrats, but there were others from Texans in the room. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, left the speech partway through after standing up with a few other members and showing the word “Resist” on the back of their shirts. Rep. Greg Casar D-Austin, held a small sign that said “Musk Steals” throughout the speech. The congress member has spent recent weeks speaking out against Elon Musk, asking to eliminate a government role for the billionaire who has taken a position with the Trump administration to bring down the size of government.
Other Texans had notable roles during the speech. Among the official Melania Trump guests at the speech were three Texans representing recent Republican policy pushes.
One first lady guest was the mother of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Houston girl who was killed in June. Two people who entered the country illegally from Venezuela, according to police, have been charged with murder in the case.
Since the death of her daughter, Alexis Nungaray has become an advocate for tougher border policies. She has pushed for an end to “catch and release,” and in favor of Sen. Ted Cruz’s “Justice for Jocelyn Act.”
“The Biden-Harris policies that we have here are why she’s not here,” Alexis Nungaray said during an October press briefing alongside Trump. “I will forever be a grieving mother.”
She stood and nodded as Trump recognized her during his speech. Alexis Nungaray then wiped her eye as the president announced that he has signed an executive order to rename a wildlife sanctuary near Galveston in honor of Jocelyn Nungaray.
While the Nungaray death has become a battle cry for the right, studies indicate that immigrants, with or without documents, are no more likely than others in the U.S. to commit crimes.
Other Texas guests of the first lady included U.S. Border Patrol agent Roberto Ortiz from Weslaco and a 15-year-old deepfake video victim, Elliston Berry from Aledo
Berry participated in a Monday roundtable with Melania Trump and Cruz supporting the “Take it Down Act” – a bill that would make it illegal to publish any non-consensual sexually exploitative images, including images made by deepfake technology. The bill passed the Senate in February.
Ortiz, according to a White House news release, has been shot by cartel members multiple times while working near the Rio Grande River.
Sen. John Cornyn brought Republican Party of Texas Chair Abraham George to the joint address. Cornyn will benefit from any show of Republican solidarity as he may face a 2026 primary challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“Like me, the chairman is an unwavering supporter of President Trump’s agenda and I am glad to call him a friend,” Cornyn posted on X, formerly Twitter, Tuesday.
George wrote on X that “D.C. seems to be on a better track than Austin right now,” after meeting with Cornyn Tuesday.
Other Texans invited to the address were the CEO of Ma Hila’s Heart Children’s Cancer Foundation, Jason Massiatte, as the guest of Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, and John Carlo, the CEO of Prism Health North Texas, as the guest of Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch. These guests were invited, according to news releases from the members’ offices, to signify opposition to any funding cut for cancer research and Medicaid.
Disclosure: Prism Health North Texas has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/04/texans-nungaray-trump-speech-to-congress/.
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