Donald Trump was confronted by a sign reading 'black people aren't apes' as he arrived for the State of the Union speech in the House of Representatives. Democrat Al Green held up the sign and was subsequently escorted from the chamber.
The protest relates to a video Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social website earlier this month, which depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Mr Trump said he had not watched the video fully before instructing an aide to post it.
Rep. Green was removed from the joint address last year after shouting at the president over Medicaid cuts. This year, some Democratic congresswomen wore white in support of women's rights, a move described by Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández as honouring the fight for women's voting rights.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll found 60% of Americans disapproved of Mr Trump's job performance, with 39% approving—the lowest for any president before a second-year State of the Union. Another poll by AP-NORC indicated 69% of Americans believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.
