Activists, politicians and celebrities hold alternatives to State of the Union address

By Ashlee Banks
Special to the AFRO

In a coordinated display of protest, a historic coalition of more than 80 Democrats from both chambers bypassed President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, opting instead to participate in a series of high-profile counter-events. The movement saw lawmakers join activists at the “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall and the “State of the People x The Signal LIVE: The Black People’s Alternative to the State of the Union” digital broadcast, offering a starkly different perspective on the nation’s trajectory.

The boycott included prominent figures like Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), as well as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.-8) and Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-04), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.-04) and Summer Lee (D-Pa.-12). 

A primary focal point for the dissenting lawmakers was the “State of the People x The Signal LIVE” broadcast. Hosted by Jamie Harrison, Karen Finney, Dr. David Johns, and Angela Rye, the four-hour special was designed to deliver a report on the “state of our people” through the lens of data and strategy rather than executive rhetoric. The program utilized intergenerational dialogue among elected officials, grassroots organizers, and creators to provide actionable analysis on issues hitting Black communities hardest in 2026, including voting rights, the SAVE Act, and the economic volatility of new tariffs.

The event featured a structured breakdown of the legislative stakes, including the “CBC Power Hour,” where members of the Congressional Black Caucus discussed their efforts to shape the national agenda from outside the Capitol walls. By centering these discussions, organizers sought to provide the “real-time reaction and context” necessary for Black America to navigate the current political climate.

At the National Mall, Representative Lee joined host Joy Reid for the “People’s State of the Union,” where she offered a blistering critique of what she termed an “authoritarian” administration. Claiming that the government is shielding powerful individuals linked to Jeffrey Epstein at the expense of victims, Lee used the platform to announce her intent to impeach Attorney General Pam Bondi for withholding unredacted files. Lee called the President’s formal address an “obituary” for the working class and highlighting the “terror” instilled by aggressive immigration enforcement alongside a rising cost of living.

Congressman Ivey told the AFRO, he decided to skip out on the State of the Union address and attend the “People’s State of the Union” because he refused to “listen to Trump’s misinformation…and just flat out lies.” 

“I thought it was important to make sure we had the opportunity to have real-time response, rapid response to the misinformation so we can put out accurate things for our constituents and Americans in general,” the Democratic congressman continued. “It’s important for everyone to hear what’s going on so we can start turning the tide on what’s going on with Trump and his illegal administration.”

Ivey was accompanied to the alternative event by Mohamed Alghali, who has become a vocal advocate for justice following the deportation of his mother, Rabbiatu Kuyateh. A professional nurse practicing in the U.S. for decades, Kuyateh originally fled the civil war in Sierra Leone 30 years ago. Despite adhering to mandatory annual check-ins with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE), she was informed of a removal order during a routine appointment in July 2025. After being held in a Maryland detention center and later a Louisiana ICE facility for several months, she was shackled and placed on a plane to Ghana, a country she had never previously visited. It was only after spending several days in Ghana that she was eventually transported to Sierra Leone

Alghali, who is a U.S. citizen, told the AFRO, that he is “irate” with the Trump administration and its deportation policies. 

“There’s this false rhetoric about immigrants being criminals, which that’s not the case,” he said. “I just can’t really sit back as a U.S. citizen and just watch this happen.”

Alghali told the AFRO, he hopes that he will one day be reunited with his mother..

In a statement obtained by the AFRO, Congressman Mfume stated that the president has “hurt” citizens across the country and “diminished our respect on the world stage. ” 

“So many families that I represent are struggling to pay for health care, food costs and skyrocketing electricity bills,” the Maryland lawmaker added. “ICE is out of control and it’s getting harder to rein in the open bigotry of this administration.”  

Meanwhile, inside the House chamber, the evening’s first major disruption occurred when Representative Al Green (D-Texas-9) was forcibly removed by the Sergeant at Arms. Green rose from his seat holding a sign that read: “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES.” The protest was a direct response to a controversial, since-deleted social media post from the President’s account that depicted former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as primates. As Green was escorted out, Republican lawmakers erupted in chants of “USA,” while Green continued to shout his protest toward the rostrum.

Green told the AFRO, he strategically positioned himself in the chamber so that when Trump passed by “he would be in close proximity” to him.

 “Judging from the look on his face, he felt and he understood it and tried to as briskly and quickly as he could move beyond my sphere of influence,” added the Texas lawmaker. “The president has got to understand that he’s not above the law and that we are not going to tolerate racism because if you tolerate it, you perpetuate it.” 

The atmosphere remained volatile as the President turned his focus to immigration enforcement. Representatives Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-5) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12) engaged in a vocal confrontation with the President, shouting that he had “killed Americans.” The lawmakers were referring to the recent deaths of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were killed during federal immigration operations. When the President claimed his duty was to protect citizens over “illegal aliens,” Omar labeled him a “murderer” and a “liar.” Both Omar and Tlaib exited the chamber mid-speech following the exchange.

In a statement obtained by the AFRO, Rep. Kamlager-Dove stated that she refused to attend the address believing that Trump would make a “mockery of the sacred constitutional duty of the State of the Union.” 

“Our democracy is on the brink, and the man who is supposed to uphold it is seriously demented and ill,” she added. 

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