“I’d rather stick needles in my eyes than listen to his manifesto of mistruths,” McGovern says — as Democrats split over skipping Trump’s State of the Union
A blunt line from Rep. Jim McGovern is racing around social media hours before President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address — and it’s becoming the shorthand for a bigger Democratic strategy fight: show up and sit stone-faced… or don’t give Trump the visual at all.
In a post circulating online, the Massachusetts Democrat said he’s attended every State of the Union since entering Congress — including during Trump’s first term — but this year he’d “rather stick needles in my eyes” than listen to what he called a “manifesto of mistruths.”
McGovern isn’t alone. CBS News reports dozens of Democrats are boycotting Trump’s speech this year, with many choosing counterprogramming instead of in-chamber protests. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has essentially framed it as two lanes: attend with “silent defiance,” or skip the address and make the point that way.
What’s actually happening tonight
Instead of dramatic walkouts or sign-waving from their seats, a chunk of Democrats plan to be somewhere else entirely — including an alternative event branded the “People’s State of the Union.” CBS lists several Democratic senators and House members expected at that counter-event.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal is one of the lawmakers publicly saying she’s boycotting the speech, and in another post that’s making the rounds, she said she’ll speak at the People’s State of the Union instead.
Why boycott at all — and what good does it do?
The pitch is pretty simple: don’t hand Trump the made-for-TV imagery of a full Congress treating the speech as “normal,” and shift attention to an opposing message at the same time. That’s why the counter-events are scheduled during the address and promoted as an organized alternative, not just a quiet absence.
Axios adds another, very practical reason: Democrats are trying to avoid the kind of chaotic in-chamber moments that can backfire — the “unforced errors” problem — and Jeffries has been urging decorum. Skipping the speech sidesteps the temptation to create a viral disruption that ends up dominating coverage for the wrong reasons.
But here’s the catch: boycotts don’t stop the speech. Trump will still address the country, and many Democrats (including some who strongly oppose him) are attending anyway because they see value in being present, confronting him directly, and showing seriousness about the institution. CBS notes some Democrats plan to attend while staying silent, and others are using guests to make their own statements.
Is it “disrespectful,” or just politics?
It depends who you ask — and that’s the story. Critics argue skipping is disrespectful to the office and the event. Supporters say the greater disrespect would be treating what they view as misinformation or harmful policy as business as usual. And even inside the party, the split is real: some want the optics of restraint in the chamber, others want a louder refusal outside it.
