• At least 12 Democratic senators and representatives plan to boycott President Trump's State of the Union address next Tuesday
• Progressive groups MoveOn and MeidasTouch are hosting a competing "People's State of the Union" rally on the National Mall at 8:30 p.m.
• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries advised Democrats to either boycott or attend in "silent defiance" after last year's protests drew censure and criticism

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — A coordinated Democratic boycott of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address is taking shape ahead of the Feb. 24 speech, with at least a dozen lawmakers planning to skip the event entirely and attend a rival rally organized by progressive advocacy groups on the National Mall.

The move marks a rare coordinated walkout from one of Washington's most enduring traditions — and exposes a deeper fracture within the Democratic caucus over how to confront the Trump administration without handing Republicans a political gift.

Who's Boycotting and Why

The lawmakers planning to attend the alternative rally include Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), along with Reps. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Becca Balint (D-VT), Greg Casar (D-TX), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ).

Progressive groups MoveOn Civic Action and MeidasTouch are hosting the "People's State of the Union" at 8:30 p.m. — 30 minutes before Trump's scheduled 9 p.m. speech. The event will feature left-wing political commentators Joy Reid and Katie Phang as hosts, with organizers promising appearances by constituents affected by Trump administration policies.

"Donald Trump has made a mockery of the State of the Union speech — taking a moment that is meant to bring the country together and turning it into a campaign rally to spew hatred and division."

Sen. Murphy added that Democrats have no obligation to serve as an audience while the president "lies and attacks people who disagree with him."

"Trump is marching America towards fascism, and I refuse to normalize his shredding of our Constitution and democracy. This cannot be business as usual."

That was Sen. Van Hollen in a post on X, framing his absence as a moral stand.

Jeffries Walks a Tightrope on Democratic Strategy

The boycott reflects an internal tension that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has been working to manage since last year's address devolved into chaos. During Trump's joint address to Congress in March 2025, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) was physically removed from the chamber after heckling the president. Multiple Democrats walked out after Trump taunted Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Others held up signs reading "Save Medicaid" and "Musk Steals."

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Jeffries told colleagues in a closed-door meeting last week that there were two acceptable options: boycott the speech entirely or attend in "silent defiance." The message was clear — no repeat of last year's spectacle.

"We're not going to his house. He's coming to our house, and it's the people's house. And having grown up where I grew up, you never let anyone run you off your block."

Jeffries told reporters he plans to attend.

Not Everyone Is Sitting Out — Some Democrats Plan Pointed Guests

Several Democrats attending the speech intend to make their own statements through strategic guest invitations. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) invited Wisconsin Soybean Association President Doug Rebout to highlight the impact of Trump's tariffs on American farmers. Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) plans to bring a constituent facing a healthcare crisis. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) is bringing a small business owner who advocates for the Affordable Care Act.

Others remain less restrained. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) told Axios plainly that he plans to walk out at some point during the address.

"The only question for me is which of his disgusting lines prompts me to get up and leave, because at some point I will."

White House Fires Back, Republicans Urge Discipline

The White House dismissed the boycott through spokeswoman Abigail Jackson.

"It's not a surprise that they refuse to celebrate and honor the Americans who have benefited from the commonsense policies Republicans have governed with."

Jackson noted that boycotting Democrats had voted against Trump initiatives on tax legislation and immigration enforcement.

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have their own concerns about the address. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) urged the president to be "aspirational" rather than combative. The speech arrives amid a Department of Homeland Security shutdown and stalled funding negotiations — context that cuts against both parties' preferred narratives.

The address also carries electoral weight. With 2026 midterm elections approaching, some GOP strategists worry that a combative performance could undermine Republican messaging at a critical moment when the party's legislative record since last July has been thin.

Historical Context: A Tradition Under Strain

The annual address has a long history of partisan friction. In 2020, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously tore up Trump's speech transcript on live television. The tradition of counterprogramming dates back decades, but the scale of this year's coordinated boycott — involving five senators and multiple House members — represents an escalation in the ongoing transformation of the State of the Union from institutional ceremony into political flashpoint.

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The address, first delivered by President George Washington in 1790 as a brief report to Congress, has evolved into something far more theatrical — and this year promises no exception.

With Democrats split between boycotting, attending silently and planning walkouts — and Republicans urging message discipline from a president known for going off-script — does the State of the Union still serve its constitutional purpose of informing Congress, or has it become a stage where both parties perform for their bases at the expense of the institution itself?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from NBC News' coverage of the boycott announcement, Reuters' reporting on the coordinated walkout, reporting by The Hill on Democratic protest strategies and counterprogramming plans, Axios' reporting on Jeffries' closed-door guidance and Democratic protest plans, coverage by The Mirror and The Daily Caller, Al Jazeera's reporting on the DHS shutdown, and analysis from IBTimes.

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