House censures Rep. Al Green for outburst during Trump speech

In a 224 to 198 vote, the House censured Green, with 10 Democrats joining all Republicans in favor of the move. Green is the 28th lawmaker to be censured in the House. He was ordered to stand in the well of the House while the resolution, which called his behavior “a breach of proper conduct,” was read aloud. 

Minutes into Mr. Trump’s speech on Tuesday, Green stood and raised his cane in the president’s direction and shouted. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, warned Green to take his seat and “maintain decorum,” but Green refused. Johnson then directed the sergeant at arms to “restore order” and “remove this gentleman from the chamber.” 

Green suggested in a social media post Thursday morning that the outcome of the vote was a foregone conclusion.

“During the 10:00 hour ET, Congressman Al Green will be censured this morning for standing up to President Trump,” Green wrote on X. 

Censure is essentially a formal reprimand by the House. While it was relatively rare throughout history, it has become more common in recent years. Three other Democrats — Adam Schiff of California, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Jamaal Bowman of New York — were censured in 2023, and Republican Rep. Paul Gosar faced the punishment in 2021.

Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington, who introduced the resolution to censure Green, said the move was not personal and called it a “difficult step.” 

“We cannot ignore the willful disruption intended to stop a proceeding,” Newhouse, who is one of two remaining House Republicans who voted to impeach Mr. Trump over the Capitol riot, said Wednesday. “Without decorum, without respect, what do we got? What do we have, truly?” 

Newhouse said Green’s behavior reflects on all members of Congress and the moment serves as a reminder “that we all need to raise our level of accountability.” 

“This is truly a wakeup call for this chamber,” he said. “The lack of decorum has reached a new low. When the president of the United States cannot even come into our chamber invited and complete his speech without the interaction that we saw last night, we have to take this action of censure.” 

Before Green spoke during floor debate on the resolution Wednesday, he walked over to Newhouse and shook his hand. Green said he did not hold any ill will toward Johnson, the officers who escorted him out of the president’s speech or those who supported his censure. 

“The president indicated that he had a mandate. I said to the president, ‘You do not have a mandate to cut Medicaid.’ I have constituents who need Medicaid. They will suffer and some will die if they don’t get Medicaid,” Green said of why he heckled Mr. Trump. “I would do it again.” 

Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said Republicans have shown “selective outrage” in their condemnation of certain behavior. 

“I can’t believe we’re having this debate,” McGovern said Wednesday.