Half the Democratic caucus couldn't even be bothered to show up for the State of the Union on Tuesday night.
They were too busy standing in 30-degree weather on the National Mall at a MoveOn rally – one that drew roughly 75 people, about half of them reporters – while Robert De Niro held court at the National Press Club down the street.
But one Democrat did something that apparently required more courage than any of them could muster – and what he told Fox News the next morning exposed exactly how far his party has fallen.
More Than 50 Democrats Boycotted the State of the Union While Fetterman Shook Trump's Hand
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania walked into the House chamber Tuesday night in a suit, greeted President Trump with a handshake, and sat down like a grown adult prepared to listen to a speech.
He believes he was the only Democrat who shook the President's hand that night.
One. Out of every Democrat in the United States Senate.
While Fetterman was showing respect for the office, more than 50 of his colleagues were staging what the American Center for Law and Justice called the largest State of the Union boycott in history.
Senators Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff, and Tina Smith chose a progressive rally over the People's House.
Murphy – who's openly eyeing a 2028 presidential run – told the crowd Democrats need to "stop behaving normally."
That's one way to describe abandoning your constitutional duties to chant slogans with a few dozen activists.
Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib Heckled Trump While Democrats Refused to Stand
The Democrats who actually attended weren't much better.
Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib screamed at the President from their seats during his remarks on immigration enforcement, shouting "You have killed Americans" and calling him a liar before walking out of the chamber.
Rep. Al Green got himself physically removed – again – after holding up a protest sign, the same kind of stunt that got him ejected and censured after the 2025 address.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had literally told his caucus their two options were "silent defiance" or staying home.
They chose screaming instead.
Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News he came close to having Omar and Tlaib escorted off the floor but decided to let the cameras capture it all.
He's already promised that footage of Democrats refusing to stand will be a centerpiece of 2026 midterm ads.
Fetterman Called Out Democrats for Refusing to Stand for a Widow at the State of the Union
The morning after, Fetterman went on Fox News and didn't hold back.
He called the behavior "disappointing" and "sad."
He said it doesn't matter whether a Republican or Democrat is president – you don't yell and scream and disrupt the speech of the Commander-in-Chief.
Then he dropped the line that should haunt every Democratic strategist in Washington.
"I don't think dancing frogs really moves the ball for us as a party."
Fetterman stood and applauded when Trump recognized the family of Iryna Zarutska – the Ukrainian woman stabbed to death on a light rail train in North Carolina.
He stood for the Venezuelan political prisoner.
He stood for the veterans in the audience.
He stood for the Iranian strikes.
And then he stood for Erika Kirk – the widow of a murdered man, a young mother with small children – while his Democratic colleagues sat on their hands.
"Can't we just be more kind to a widow?" Fetterman asked.
Apparently not, if it means clapping while Trump is in the room.
Fetterman Has Been Breaking With Democrats on Israel, the Border, and Now the State of the Union
This wasn't a one-night stand against his party.
Fetterman has been breaking with Democrats for years – on Israel, on border security, on the government shutdown, on Trump's Cabinet nominees.
He was the only Democrat who backed striking Iranian nuclear facilities.
He called out the "rot" in his own party's growing anti-Israel wing just two weeks ago on Fox News.
He voted with Republicans to end the government shutdown while Chuck Schumer was still playing games with federal workers' paychecks.
And now the Pennsylvania Working Families Party has publicly announced it will support a primary challenger against him in 2028 – punishing the one Democrat who still acts like a United States Senator.
They'd rather freeze on the National Mall with MoveOn activists than shake the President's hand.
They'd rather scream from their seats than stand for a Gold Star widow.
They'd rather primary the one guy in their caucus who still has the decency to show up.
Fetterman's not perfect – he'll be the first to tell you that.
But Tuesday night, he was the only Democrat in that chamber who remembered that representing your country means more than performing for your base.
Sources:
- Ian Schwartz, "Fetterman: It's Disappointing That Some Democrats Chose To 'Yell And Scream' at Trump at SOTU," RealClearPolitics, February 25, 2026.
- Ian Schwartz, "Fetterman Scolds Democrats: I Stood Up For Erika Kirk, 'Can't We Just Be More Kind To A Widow?'" RealClearPolitics, February 25, 2026.
- Staff, "Democrats Waging Largest Boycott Ever of Trump's State of the Union Address," Washington Times, February 24, 2026.
- Mary Ellen McIntire, "'Stop Behaving Normally': Democrats Boycott State of the Union at Rival Events," Roll Call, February 25, 2026.
- Staff, "Trump's 2026 SOTU: Reactions Pour In Following Unforgettable State of the Union Address," Fox News, February 25, 2026.
- Staff, "Democrats Boycott Trump State of the Union Address," Fox News, February 24, 2026.
- Sarah Arnold, "Fetterman Breaks with Democrats on Israel, Border, Trump Policies," Townhall, June 2, 2025.
