Are disruptions common as presidents address Congress? What to know before Trump speech

Some Democratic lawmakers are reportedly planning to disrupt President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress. It would not be the first time such an address has been interrupted by lawmakers.

Six unnamed House Democrats told Axios that members of their party are considering bringing props — such as anti-Trump signs and noisemakers — to the president’s address, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. on March 4.

Though, there is significant disagreement among the party over what protest measures should be taken.

“The part that we all agree on is that this is not business as usual and we would like to find a way — productively — to express our outrage,” one lawmaker told the outlet.

Widespread disruptions are unlikely, as there’s less appetite for dramatic demonstrations than there was during Trump’s first term, according to Politico.

Still, “some lawmakers have privately discussed walking out as an entire caucus during the speech or wearing pink hats in protest…” the outlet reported.

Over the years, there have been numerous outbursts and disturbances at State of the Union addresses (though Trump’s upcoming speech is not technically considered a State of the Union address — given its proximity to his inauguration).

Past outbursts and disruptions at presidential addresses

Every recent president has had at least one address to a joint session of Congress be marked by protests from opposition party lawmakers.

In his 2023 address, President Joe Biden was repeatedly met with heckles and boos from some Republican lawmakers, leading then House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to shush them, according to CNN.

His speech to Congress in the year prior was interrupted by GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, who chanted “build the wall,” according to NBC News.

Trump, too, is no stranger to protests in the House chamber.

During his 2018 State of the Union address, his comments on immigration elicited “boos and groans” from some Democrats, according to NBC News. And, at the end of his speech in 2020, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stood up and dramatically ripped a printed copy of Trump’s speech.

Going back further, President Barack Obama’s 2009 address to a joint session of Congress was famously interrupted by Rep. Joe Wilson.

While Obama was discussing immigration reform, Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, shouted, “You lie!”, according to ABC News.

And, in 2005, President George W. Bush was met with howls and hisses from some Democrats while advocating for Social Security reform, according to Politico.

“It was unusual,” CNN commentator Bill Schneider said at the time. “I have never heard it at least at that level before. The Democrats clearly were booing, heckling, saying no when the president talked about the crisis in Social Security.”

While that 2005 disruption was seen as unusual, acts of protest at the president’s congressional address go back even further.

In 1975, during President Gerald Ford’s speech to Congress, Democrats could be heard hissing when he brought up a $722‐million military aid package for South Vietnam as the party pushed for the war to end, according to the New York Times. And afterward, several Democrats got up and left the chamber.

This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Are disruptions common as presidents address Congress? What to know before Trump speech."