What happened During President Trump’s State of the Union address, the camera cut to Representative Ilhan Omar as the president criticized corruption in Somalia and discussed border security. Republicans stood and applauded parts of the speech. Some Democrats remained seated. Video from the chamber shows Omar vocalizing her disagreement while the president continued speaking. What she shouted Video shows Omar shouting phrases aimed at the president as he urged stronger action on illegal immigration and overseas corruption. The words were loud enough to be picked up on the floor microphones and noticed by other lawmakers. Congressional moments like this are meant to be dramatic. This one was. Why it mattered The exchange underlines how polarized the chamber is on immigration and national security. A State of the Union is partly theater and partly policy. Lawmakers use it to send signals to voters and activists. The public reaction in the room often matters more than the actual policy details for how the debate plays out later. Legal backdrop Separately, news reports say the Justice Department has looked into certain financial transactions tied to Representative Omar and businesses linked to her household. Reports also mentioned questions raised by immigration officials about her…

What happened in the chamberDuring President Trump's State of the Union address, Representative Al Green stood and held up a banner that said, "Black People Aren't Apes." House officers quickly moved in. Majority Whip Steve Scalise grabbed the sign and Speaker Mike Johnson ordered Green escorted out. Members in the chamber applauded and some shouted "USA." The interruption lasted only a few minutes, but it was enough to punctuate an already scripted evening. The banner and the backstoryThe sign referenced a social media clip tied to a larger video President Trump shared. At the end of that clip a screenshot showed stylized cartoon images that some critics called demeaning. Supporters of Green say his protest called out an offensive image. Others say a protest in the middle of the SOTU is poor form. Either way, the banner did exactly what protests are meant to do: force attention to a dispute in a public place. How the chamber reactedThe ejection was swift and orderly, which is how the House prefers its drama. Officers escorted Green out without a physical struggle. The chamber response was not subtle. Applause and chants followed, illustrating how partisan rituals have become part of the show. For…