Stephen Colbert shreds top Democrat Hakeem Jeffries for ‘silent’ protest at State of the Union: ‘A bold rebrand of doing jack squat’

Democrats protested both in and outside of the State of the Union address NewsWorldAmericasUS politicsStephen Colbert shreds top Democrat Hakeem Jeffries for ‘silent’ protest at State of the Union: ‘A bold rebrand of doing jack squat’Democrats protested both in and outside of the State of the Union address Isabel Keane in New York Wednesday 25 February 2026 15:16 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverDemocrat Rep. Al Green holds 'Black People Aren't Apes' sign as he is booted from Trump State of the UnionYour 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 moreStephen Colbert lashed out at top Democrat Hakeem Jeffries for urging his party to have a “silent” protest and avoid disrupting the State of the Union address, calling the move “a bold rebrand of doing jack squat.” The Late Show host mocked the House minority leader’s encouragement for Democrats to either attend President Donald Trump’s address Tuesday night “in silent defiance” or to go to a counter event, but not to bail entirely or “make a scene” if they did attend. “We’re not going to Donald Trump’s house,” Jeffries said last week. “He’s coming to our house. It’s my view that you don’t let anyone, ever, run you off of your block.” Dozens of Democratic lawmakers heeded his advice, staging walkouts or holding up signs in protest of Trump’s agenda. “For Democrats who did attend, Hakeem Jeffries urged members not to make a scene,” Colbert said. “An approach he dubbed ‘silent defiance, which I believe is a bold rebrand of doing jack squat.” open image in galleryStephen Colbert slammed top Democrat Hakeem Jeffries for urging his party to have a “silent” protest of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address (CBS)Colbert added, “As Martin Luther King once said, ‘Shhh.’” He then displayed the made-up quote and an image of the civil rights leader on the screen. Many Democrats did protest both in and outside of the chamber throughout the State of the Union. To kick off the address, Rep. Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, held up a sign that read, “Black people aren’t apes,” in reference to the video Trump shared online that portrayed Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Trump claimed an “aide” had posted the video but refused to apologize.Green was swiftly escorted out of the building, making it the second time he has been removed during one of Trump’s addresses. open image in galleryTexas Democrat Al Green holds a sign reading ‘Black people are not apes’ as President Donald Trump arrives to deliver the State of the Union address (REUTERS)Other Democrats to protest the event include Rep. Ilhan Omar, of Minnesota, who cried out, “You have killed two Americans!” as Trump boasted about his immigration crackdown. Norma Torres, a Democrat from California, could also be sen holding up photos of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, the two U.S. citizens who were killed by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis last month. Some who skipped the speech addressed hundreds of protesters gathered on the National Mall during a counter-event billed as the “People’s State of the Union.” Throughout his speech, Trump criticized Democratic lawmakers for refusing to stand or clap for him, at one point telling them, “You should be ashamed of yourself.” “These people are crazy. I’m telling you, they’re crazy,” Trump said as Democrats remained seated, prompting more thunderous applause from the Republican side of the chamber. “We’re lucky to have a country with people like this,” he then said, referring to the Republicans. “Democrats are destroying our country.” More aboutHakeem JeffriesDonald TrumpStephen ColbertProtestState of the UniondemocratJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next