Democrats to boycott Trump's State of the Union
Democrats are planning an unprecedented response to President Donald Trump's upcoming State of the Union address next Tuesday. Rather than attend the speech, a substantial number of Democratic lawmakers plan to boycott and instead host an alternative "People's State of the Union" event at the National Mall near the Capitol. This marks a shift from last year's approach, when Democrats protested inside the chamber with signs and Rep. Al Green was ejected after interrupting the president. Sen. Christopher Murphy stated Trump "doesn't deserve an audience," citing his tendency to spread misinformation and attack Democrats. Sen. Chris Van Hollen added that he refuses to be "a prop" while Trump "shreds our Constitution." The alternative event, organized partly by progressive group MoveOn, represents a historic break from tradition, as sitting out a president's State of the Union address on this scale is unprecedented.