The White House brushed off reports that far-left Democrats in Congress are discussing plans to go further than ever to protest and even disrupt President Donald Trump's speech to Congress on Tuesday.
Some Democratic lawmakers are advocating for major disruptions at the event, ranging from outright walkouts to using noisemakers to drown out Trump's speech, Axios reported Tuesday. Some of the more moderate ideas floated reportedly include carrying egg cartons to highlight costs, carrying protest signs, and coordinating outfits.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital that Trump is prepared for whatever the Democrats might throw at him.
"Democrats behaving like children would be the least surprising news of the night," Leavitt told Fox News Digital.
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Other Democrats discussed plans to storm out of the chamber if Trump crosses certain rhetorical lines, such as discussing gender-confused youths.
"The part that we all agree on is that this is not business as usual and we would like to find a way - productively - to express our outrage," one lawmaker told Axios.
Democratic leaders reportedly encouraged members in closed-door meetings this week to keep their protests civil, however, with many arguing that major outbursts would only help Trump.
"There are definitely a lot of constituents that really want Democrats to disrupt and there are constituents who feel like that just plays into his hands," another lawmaker told the outlet.
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More traditional protest plans include the Democratic Women's Caucus encouraging members to wear pink, as well as women with the Congressional Black Caucus discussing plans to wear black. Other members have mulled wearing blue and yellow to show solidarity with Ukraine.
One Democrat - Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia - is not planning to attend at all.
"These are not normal times. The challenges my constituents face demand more than sitting in a chamber I revere, listening as if the person addressing our country is not unleashing chaos and cruelty on their lives. I cannot give audience to that," he said in a statement Tuesday morning.
Connolly also said he's not attending "In solidarity with federal workers and contractors, who have been treated with unspeakable disregard and disrespect by a president and an oligarch billionaire who do not value their public service."
Protests at State of the Union speeches and other major presidential events have grown more common and severe in recent years. While Trump's Tuesday address is not technically a State of the Union address, it follows essentially the same format.
The president is scheduled to speak before all members of Congress on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST.
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White House officials exclusively told Fox News Digital that the speech, themed "The Renewal of the American Dream," will feature four main sections: accomplishments from Trump's second term thus far at home and abroad; what the Trump administration has done for the economy; the president's renewed push for Congress to pass additional funding for border security; and the president's plans for peace around the globe.
Trump's joint address "will be must-see TV," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital.
"President Trump has accomplished more in one month than any president in four years, and the renewal of the American Dream is well underway," Leavitt said. "In his joint address to Congress, President Trump will celebrate his extraordinarily successful first month in office while outlining his bold, ambitious and commonsense vision for the future."
The president will review his administration's "accomplishments from his extraordinarily successful first month in office, both here at home and abroad," White House officials said.
Fox News' Brooke Singman and Greg Norman contributed to this report.
