Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib shout as Trump condemns Dems over immigration enforcement in SOTU speech

Trump criticised Democrats for what he described as weak responses to immigration enforcement and accused them of undermining border security
Rep Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) (R) and Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MI) shout during US President Donald Trump's State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the US Capitol on February 24, 2026 (Getty Images)
Rep Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) (R) and Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MI) shout during US President Donald Trump's State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the US Capitol on February 24, 2026 (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Tensions escalated during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

Reps Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib shouted from the Democratic side of the chamber while the president criticized lawmakers for what he called weak responses to immigration enforcement.

The turning point occurred when Trump accused Democrats of weakening border security and not supporting stricter immigration policies. As he spoke against their position, interruptions started.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) R) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MI) shout during U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on February 24, 2026, in Washington, DC. Trump delivered his address days after the Supreme Court struck down the administration's tariff strategy and amid a U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf threatening Iran. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Rep Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) R) and Rep Ilhan Omar (D-MI) shout during US President Donald Trump's State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the US Capitol on February 24, 2026, in Washington, DC. Trump delivered his address days after the Supreme Court struck down the administration's tariff strategy and amid a US military buildup in the Persian Gulf threatening Iran (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar disrupt Trump’s speech

The president declared that Democrats should be "ashamed."

‘You should be ashamed!” Rep Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., could be seen shouting back at the president.

“Liar!” Rep Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich, yelled at one point.



Both Tlaib and Omar grew consistently louder in their responses and heckling of Trump as his speech progressed.

“You have k****d Americans!" Omar and Tlaib yelled.

Trump slams Democrats, Omar interrupts

“These people are crazy, I’m telling you. They’re crazy,” Trump said, gesturing toward the Democratic side of the room as the shouting continued.

“Boy, oh, boy, we’re lucky. We have a country with people like this. Democrats are destroying our country, but we’ve stopped it just in the nick of time, didn’t we?”

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 24: President Donald Trump arrives to deliver the State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber at the Capitol on February 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. Trump delivered his address days after the Supreme Court struck down the administration's tariff strategy, and amid a U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf threatening Iran. (Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump arrives to deliver the State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber at the Capitol on February 24, 2026 in Washington, DC (Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)

The chamber grew louder as Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, called out: “How about those Epstein files?”

Both Democrats jeered at him, for example, when he was talking about his ICE policies, accusing him of killing Americans, a reference to Alex Pretti and Renee Good, the two American citizens who died at the hands of federal law enforcement officials in Minnesota.

“We saw the videos, too. ... you are k*****g Americans!” Tlaib yelled as Trump continued speaking.

President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on February 24, 2026, in Washington, DC. Trump delivered his address days after the Supreme Court struck down the administration's tariff strategy and amid a U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf threatening Iran. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the US Capitol on February 24, 2026, in Washington, DC. Trump delivered his address days after the Supreme Court struck down the administration's tariff strategy and amid a US military buildup in the Persian Gulf threatening Iran (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

In response to Trump's telling the Democrats, "You should be ashamed," Omar yelled back to him, "You should be ashamed!"

Lawmakers, including Tlaib and Rep Jamie Raskin, D-Md, were wearing buttons that said “Stand with survivors, release the files.”

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