Following a social media post by President Trump that invigorated the cryptocurrency market, several Democratic lawmakers have announced their intention to boycott his first joint congressional address of his second term. Scheduled for Tuesday evening at the U.S. Capitol, the address will see President Trump speaking to both the House and Senate. However, some Democrats, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), plan to skip the event. Sen. Murphy will instead host a live prebuttal to the President’s address.

In a recent interview, Sen. Murphy expressed his skepticism about the address, characterizing it as a "MAGA pep rally" rather than a substantive discussion of national issues. He voiced concerns that President Trump would disseminate misinformation regarding his relationship with Russia and his policies concerning Elon Musk and his business ventures. Sen. Murphy stated he would not participate in such an event.

Joining Sen. Murphy in the prebuttal, which will be livestreamed concurrently with President Trump's speech, is Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) has also indicated he will not attend the address, citing his discomfort with the anticipated applause from Republican colleagues for policies he considers detrimental. Rep. Beyer expressed his belief that his presence would not contribute meaningfully to the proceedings.

Ahead of the address, the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) encouraged Democratic members to invite guests impacted by the Trump administration’s policies. One suggested focus was individuals affected by perceived threats to Medicare and SNAP benefits, as well as federal employees, including veterans, recently laid off by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Several Democratic attendees plan to bring laid-off federal workers as a form of protest.

Delivering the official Democratic rebuttal to President Trump’s address will be Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.). She intends to center her remarks on the administration's current actions and proposed path forward for the nation. This is not the first instance of Democratic lawmakers boycotting a Trump address. In 2020, at least eight Democrats, including prominent progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), boycotted the State of the Union.