Several congressional Democrats have announced that they will boycott President Donald Trump’s upcoming State of the Union address and instead participate in a competing rally in Washington, D.C., on the same night.
At least a dozen lawmakers, including five senators and seven House members, are expected to gather on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol for what organizers are calling the “People’s State of the Union.”
The Democrats announced the move in a Wednesday statement.
The event is being organized by left-wing activist group MoveOn along with allied partners and is scheduled to take place on Tuesday evening as President Trump delivers his address to Congress.
A press release from MoveOn described the rally as “counterprogramming President Trump’s night full of lies.”
Left-wing commentators Joy Reid and Katie Phang are slated to host the event.
Democrats Cite Opposition To Trump
Several Democratic lawmakers framed their boycott as a protest against President Trump and his administration.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said:
“I will not normalize Donald Trump’s march toward fascism by attending his State of the Union address.
“We cannot pretend this is business as usual.”
He added:
“I look forward to joining real patriots who are standing up and speaking out against Trump’s lawless agenda.”
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), who also plans to attend the rally, said:
“Last year, I walked out of President Trump’s State of the Union because I refused to normalize the most corrupt and authoritarian administration in American history.”
Both Van Hollen and Ansari previously drew attention in 2025 for taking taxpayer-funded trips to El Salvador connected to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a reputed MS-13 gang member and alleged human trafficker.
Other Democrats expected to participate in the boycott, or rally, include Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), who also skipped Trump’s 2025 address, along with Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Tina Smith (D-MN).
House members listed include Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Greg Casar (D-TX), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).
Murphy argued that attending the speech would legitimize the administration, saying it “puts a veneer of legitimacy on the corruption and lawlessness that defined [Trump’s] second term.”
Activist Groups Escalate Rhetoric
Organizers and allied activists used similarly charged language in promoting the rival event.
Sara Haghdoosti of MoveOn said:
“President Trump has spent the first year of his administration making all of our lives worse: slashing health care, sending masked ICE agents to terrorize our neighbors, and passing tax cuts for the Epstein class.”
Ben Meiselas of the MeidasTouch Network added:
“People don’t want to be gaslit and belittled by a president who covers up the Epstein files and sends masked agents to kidnap and kill them.”
“Instead, it will be the exclusive streaming partner with MoveOn for the People’s State of the Union, where our viewers can watch lawmakers who support democracy discuss thoughtful policies and how best to resist Trump’s fascism.”
Democrat Leadership Urges Restraint
The boycott comes after disruptive protests by Democrats during President Trump’s March 2025 address to Congress drew backlash inside their own party.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) reportedly instructed members to avoid repeating last year’s confrontations.
During that speech, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) shouted at the president and was removed from the chamber, while several other Democrats were later reprimanded by party leadership for repeated interruptions.
Political Divide on Full Display
With Democrats staging a rival rally while President Trump addresses the nation, the dueling events underscore the deep political divide in Washington as the administration enters another year in office.
It remains unclear whether additional lawmakers will join the boycott ahead of Tuesday’s speech.
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