Scoop: Democratic Women in Congress to Wear Pink to Trump’s Speech
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) speaks during a Mother's Day Press Conference calling for action on Care and Reproductive rights on May 08, 2024 in Washington, DC. Credit - Jemal Countess–Getty Images
Dozens of Democratic congresswomen are planning to wear pink to President Donald Trump’s Joint Address to Congress on Tuesday night as part of a coordinated protest against the President’s policies.
New Mexico Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, who chairs the Democratic Women’s Caucus, confirmed exclusively to TIME on Monday that the pink attire is meant to “signal our protest of Trump's policies which are negatively impacting women and families.”
“Pink is a color of power and protest,” she says in an interview. “It’s time to rev up the opposition and come at Trump loud and clear.”
Trump’s return to the Capitol marks his first formal address to Congress in five years. Such high-profile speeches have historically served as a prominent stage for the party not in power to showcase its opposition to the sitting president. During Trump’s first term, Democratic lawmakers were vocal in their dissent—some booed, others staged walkouts, and many used their attire to make political statements. At Trump’s 2020 State of the Union, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi made headlines when she tore up a copy of his speech while seated directly behind him on the dais.
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The Democratic Women’s Caucus, which has 96 members, has long used fashion as a form of protest. In previous years, they donned white as a tribute to the suffragists who fought for women’s voting rights, and at last year’s State of the Union Address to highlight their advocacy for reproductive freedom. This year, the group is opting for a new strategy, choosing pink to reflect a shift in tone as they address what they see as a critical moment in American politics.
“Women have worn pink in opposition to Trump before, and we will do it again,” Leger Fernández says.
She cited a range of concerns with the Trump Administration, from his tariffs on Canada and Mexico that could increase prices on goods to pushing for a budget that would cut Medicaid, which is the largest single payer of maternity care in the U.S. and covers more than 40% of U.S. births. She argued that policies advanced by his Administration—on reproductive health and social programs—are disproportionately and negatively affecting women, particularly those from working-class backgrounds.
“All of those are falling on women's shoulders especially hard,” Leger Fernández says. “Women in my district are terrified and are also losing their jobs with the indiscriminate, inconsistent, chaotic, mass firings. When a woman loses her job, she loses the ability to care for her family.”
But beyond symbolism, Democrats are looking to use the address as an opportunity to highlight the real-world consequences of Trump’s policies. Many lawmakers are bringing guests who have been directly impacted by his administration’s initiatives, including union leaders, federal workers affected by widespread cuts, and others who have felt the effects of a government funding freeze.
Unlike in previous years, there does not appear to be a widespread push among Democrats to boycott the address. Instead, many lawmakers say they want to be visibly present, highlighting their opposition through a striking visual contrast—Democratic lawmakers seated in stony silence as Republicans rise in applause.
“I think it's important that Trump, my Republican colleagues, and the nation see the faces and the pain that he is inflicting on America and on the services we depend on,” Leger Fernández says.
Write to Nik Popli at [email protected].