Republicans split on censuring Rep. Al Green
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Rep. Al Green holds a sign as President Trump arrives for his State of the Union address on Feb. 24. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) latest protest during President Trump's State of the Union has triggered a fresh Republican push to censure him. But not every Republican thinks it's worth the fight.
Why it matters: GOP leaders and some rank-and-file members aren't sold on censuring Green, arguing the once-rare punishment has become too routine.
- A vote to censure Green could reopen a tit-for-tat cycle that lawmakers in both parties have said is diminishing the punishment's weight.
Driving the news: Rep. Michael Rulli (R-Ohio) said Tuesday night he's introducing a resolution to censure Green, whom he called "a disgrace to the United States Congress."
- But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters he's not sure censure is "going to be appropriate."
- "I think the punishment is the video that lives on forever of [the Democrats] acting as they did."
Catch up quick: As Trump entered the chamber Tuesday night, Green held up a sign reading "BLACK PEOPLE AREN'T APES!" and remained standing as Trump began his speech. The demonstration resulted in Green getting escorted out of the chamber.
- It marked the second consecutive year Green has been ejected from a Trump speech to Congress.
- During Trump's 2025 joint address, Green heckled the president at the outset, as other Democrats booed and staged walkouts.
- Republicans moved to censure Green over that episode, and the measure passed last year with bipartisan support.
What they're saying: "I get frustrated," Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) told Axios. "Everybody calls on everybody to be censured."
- "That's the good thing about two-year terms. If the people back home don't like it, they can get rid of you real quick."
- Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) questioned why his Republican colleagues would opt to give Green more attention, adding, "He won't be here in 10 months; his district is now an R+5."
- Polls show Green trailing his opponent, progressive Rep. Christian Menefee, ahead of Tuesday's primary. The two Democratic House members are facing off because of the state's mid-decade redistricting.
Between the lines: Republicans also acknowledge that if they move to censure Green, Democrats could retaliate with a censure resolution targeting one of their members — like Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who is facing mounting backlash over allegations he had an affair with his former staffer.
Flashback: Fatigue over censures has been building.
- After a flurry of censure resolutions last fall, Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) introduced legislation in November to raise the threshold for passage to 60%.
- "We don't want this to become commonplace," Johnson told Axios at the time, adding he was open to a discussion about raising the threshold.
- "It should be an extreme measure for extreme cases."
