MAGA lawmaker shredded after begging Trump to sign his tie after SOTU address: ‘Cringe personified’

Troy Nehls of Texas turned up to the State of the Union wearing a tie with pictures of Trump’s face on NewsWorldAmericasUS politicsMAGA lawmaker shredded after begging Trump to sign his tie after SOTU address: ‘Cringe personified’Troy Nehls of Texas turned up to the State of the Union wearing a tie with pictures of Trump’s face onRhian Lubin in New York Wednesday 25 February 2026 15:15 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverCringe moment MAGA lawmaker begs Trump to sign his tieYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreA Republican congressman was shredded online for the “cringe” moment he asked Donald Trump to sign his tie, adorned with pictures of the president’s face, after Trump delivered the State of the Union address. Troy Nehls of Texas was mocked online for fawning over Trump following the longest-ever State of the Union speech. Nehls, a MAGA loyalist, shook the president’s hand following the address, who then clocked the Trump-themed tie the GOP congressman was wearing. The representative quickly picked up a notepad and pen and was heard begging Trump to sign the tie. “Initial it. Just an initial,” Nehls was heard asking Trump in a clip posted on social media. open image in galleryRepublican congressman Troy Nehls was shredded online for the ‘cringe’ moment he asked Donald Trump to sign his tie, adorned with pictures of the president’s face, after Trump delivered the State of the Union (Reuters)Trump said, “I like that tie” as he carried on shaking hands and taking selfies with GOP lawmakers in the chamber. The moment was described as “embarrassing” by some social media users, while others said the behavior was similar to a “cult.”“Cringe personified,” one person remarked about the exchange in a X post. “Even the die hards in North Korea don’t grovel and beg for an autograph,” said another. “Embarrassing,” someone else commented. “Not a cult at all, everything normal,” another person chimed in.open image in galleryNehls, a MAGA loyalist, shook the president’s hand following the address, who then clocked the Trump-themed tie the GOP congressman was wearing (AP)Before Trump’s address, Nehls was involved in a heated exchange with Rep. Al Green, a Texas Democrat, who held up a “Black People Aren’t Apes” sign in reference to a racist AI-generated video Trump posted online earlier this month depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as primates.On Green’s way out of the House chamber, Nehls attempted to grab the sign from the Democrat. Nehls is retiring from Congress at the end of his term this year and has endorsed his twin brother, Trever Nehls, to replace him. The Republican was on the receiving end of backlash in January when he blamed law enforcement for the January 6 Capitol riots during special counsel Jack Smith’s first-ever public testimony.Nehls appeared to absolve Trump of any wrongdoing for the events that day, during which at least 170 officers were injured in the riots. Four others later died by suicide. His comments angered Michael Fanone, a former Washington, D.C. police officer who was dragged down the Capitol steps, beaten with pipes, pepper sprayed and threatened with his own gun during a mob’s assault in the halls of Congress on Jan. 6.More aboutMAGARepublicanSOTUAl GreenDonald TrumpCongressmanUS congressJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next