March 4, 2025 – President Donald Trump delivered his first speech to a joint session of Congress of his second term in office. Early in his speech, President Trump claimed his reelection was a “mandate like has not been seen in many decades.” Representative Al Green objected, saying “You don’t have a mandate,” and House Speaker Mike Johnson ordered Green’s ejection, citing concerns that members “maintain decorum.”

In contrast to Green’s ejection, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was not ejected from President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union Address, despite repeated claims that Biden was a “liar” and “you lie.”

Accusations of lying are more extreme than disagreeing. Disputes do not rise to the level of asserting an intent to knowingly deceive. The fact that Green was ejected after disagreeing with a president, whereas Greene was not ejected after repeatedly accusing a president of lying, demonstrates a stark divide, further highlighted by the similarity of their names.

Concerns about decorum do not explain this discrepancy. Either Democrats and Republicans believe in very different standards, or this was a cynical attempt to exploit the national spotlight for partisan advantage.