‘It triggered something’: Democrat Al Green speaks after being booted for heckling Trump

The Democrat who boldly interrupted Donald Trump has spoken out after being booted from Congress in a storm of jeers.

Donald Trump’s address to Congress was always going to be divisive, but it didn’t take long for tensions to boil over.

Within minutes of his speech beginning, Democratic Congressman Al Green stood up and shouted, “You don’t have a mandate.”

The interruption was quickly drowned out by Republican jeers, and Green was forcibly removed from the chamber.

Trump’s speech focused heavily on crime, taking aim at what he called “radical left lunatics” who have weakened the justice system.

“We must bring back law and order to our cities and towns,” Trump declared.

“In recent years, our justice system has been turned upside down by radical left lunatics. Many jurisdictions virtually ceased enforcing the law against dangerous repeat offenders, while weaponising law enforcement against political opponents like me.

“My administration has acted swiftly and decisively to restore fair, equal and impartial justice under the constitutional law.”

US Representative Al Green disrupts US President Donald Trump. Photo by ALLISON ROBBERT / AFP

Green was is removed from the floor. Photo by Tierney L. Cross / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The Democratic side of the chamber responded with groans and visible frustration, particularly when Trump praised police officers and promised to give them “the support, protection and respect they so dearly deserve.”

It’s worth noting that one of Trump’s first acts upon taking office was pardoning over a thousand individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6 riot — a number of whom had assaulted police officers at the Capitol, the very building where Trump was speaking.

A few minutes later, Trump called for Congress to pass a new crime bill, one that “gets tough on repeat offenders, while enhancing protections for America’s police officers so they can do their jobs without fear.”

This was the final straw for some Democrats, who openly heckled the president.

President Donald Trump. Picture: Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP

Speaking to NBC News, Al Green explained why he interrupted the speech.

“It triggered something. It really did,” Green said.

“Because he doesn’t have a mandate, and he doesn’t have a mandate to cut healthcare from poor people.”

Green was referring to Republican plans to slash Medicaid, the government-run health insurance program for low-income Americans. While Republicans insist they are working to reduce the federal budget deficit, Democrats argue that much of the proposed cuts will come from programs like Medicaid.

The Democratic side of the chamber responded with groans and visible frustration, particularly when Trump praised police officers and promised to give them ‘the support, protection and respect they so dearly deserve.’ Photo by allison robbert / AFP

As for the mandate debate, the truth sits somewhere in between. Trump did win the election. He did win the popular vote. That, technically, is a mandate.

But his claim that he secured “a mandate like we have not seen for many decades” is a stretch.

His 1.6 per cent margin in the popular vote was the smallest for any winning candidate since 2000, unless you count Trump’s own 2016 win, when he actually lost the popular vote.

Despite the uproar, Trump pressed on, delivering what his team called “one of the greatest speeches of his presidency.”

But if this address was meant to unify Congress, the early protests and partisan reactions made it clear that Washington remains as divided as ever.

Originally published as ‘It triggered something’: Democrat Al Green speaks after being booted for heckling Trump