GOP Rep. Reaches Across Aisle to Rip Sign Out of Democrat's Hand as Trump Enters House Chamber

GOP Rep. Crosses Aisle to Grab Sign from Democrat as Trump Enters House Chamber

A heated moment between a Republican and a Democrat quickly went viral as President Donald Trump arrived to deliver his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.

Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat from New Mexico, stood holding a sign that read, “This Is NOT Normal,” making sure it was visible as Trump entered the chamber.

C-SPAN shared footage of the exchange on X, capturing the moment as Trump greeted members of his party, with the sign prominently displayed in the background.

Several accounts confirmed that the Democrat in the video was Stansbury, who has represented New Mexico’s 1st District since 2021.

Stansbury herself appeared to acknowledge that she was the one holding the sign.

Meanwhile, Libs of TikTok identified the Republican who grabbed the sign as Texas Rep. Lance Gooden, who has represented the state’s 5th District since 2019.

“Lol Rep. @lancegooden ripped a sign saying ‘this is not normal’ out of a Democrat’s hand as Trump walked by,” the account posted.

Social Media Reacts

The moment quickly gained traction online, with many users ridiculing Stansbury’s message.

“We don’t need a sign telling us they aren’t normal,” commented Trump supporter Kylie Jane Kremer, who serves as the executive director of Women for America First. “WE KNOW DEMOCRATS ARE NOT NORMAL!”

Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk had a more concise response—simply posting a clown emoji.

More Democratic Disruptions

Stansbury’s protest wasn’t the only interruption from Democrats during the early moments of Trump’s speech.

Texas Rep. Al Green—best known for repeatedly pushing impeachment efforts against Trump—was ejected from the chamber after yelling, “you don’t have a mandate,” at the president.

This incident, along with Stansbury’s sign, underscored the deep partisan tensions surrounding Trump’s address.