Democratic leaders have urged their members not to interrupt President Trump during next week’s State of the Union address.

According to a report from Axios, the party is preparing a slate of separate responses from different factions as part of a strategy that will result in several competing messages on the same night.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the official Democratic rebuttal, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer announced.

The opposition party has traditionally offered a formal response to the president’s address since the early 1980s.

But that will not be the only Democratic rebuttal.

California Sen. Alex Padilla is set to deliver a Spanish-language response, which will presumably try and portray Hispanics as a left-wing monolith fighting Trump’s immigration policies.

Padilla drew national attention last year after he was removed from a Homeland Security press conference while attempting to question officials about mass deportations.

ALERT: Senator Alex Padilla thrown on the ground and cuffed after crashing DHS press conference and ass-ulting officers.pic.twitter.com/7owW16LelF

— E X X ➠A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) June 12, 2025

In announcing his role, Jeffries said Padilla has “consistently fought back and proven Democrats will not bend the knee to this out-of-control administration.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) will give a separate address on behalf of the Working Families Party.

Some Democrats are also planning to attend activist-organized counter-events, including gatherings billed as the “People’s State of the Union” and the “State of the Swamp.”

JUST IN: Sen. John Fetterman begs his fellow Democrats to not carry out “weird protests” during President Trump’s State of the Union this month

“It made us LOOK LIKE CHILDREN!”

“Have some DIGNITY!”

“Don’t put up those silly paddles and weird protests.” pic.twitter.com/aIeXj0DtpJ

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 14, 2026

Others may not attend the president’s speech at all. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is among those expected to skip the address.

Chuck Schumer defends Democrats refusing to attend President Trump’s State of the Union address.

SCHUMER: “That’s fine with me.”

Democrats don’t care about Americans — they are completely consumed by their deranged hatred of President Trump. pic.twitter.com/o4ZGDKXpoE

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 21, 2026

The result is likely to be a series of Democratic responses, delivered across different platforms and aimed at different audiences, as the party works to challenge Trump’s agenda heading into the midterm cycle.

The post Democrats Warn Against Heckling at Trump’s SOTU as Party Plans Competing Rebuttals appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Disney is facing intense criticism for introducing a new cartoon superhero named “Captain Durag” on its Disney Jr. show “Hey AJ!

The character, who debuted in the middle of Black History Month, has been slammed by leftists as tone-deaf, stereotypical, and disrespectful to black culture.

Captain Durag is depicted as a black superhero fighting “grime” in Slime City, with his durag serving as both his cape and a mask that covers the upper part of his face.

The concept of Captain Durag is wildly tone deaf. A black superhero with a durag as both his cape and mask, with a literal snow bunny as his sidekick, that is more of a garbage man than a superhero… pic.twitter.com/Dk1SSH1nC3

— Black Culture Is Pop Culture (@BCisPC) February 18, 2026

Critics argue this portrayal reduces black identity to a caricature, sparking outrage on social media where users called it an “abomination” and questioned Disney’s judgment.

One X user complained, “They made a ‘Captain Durag’ in 2026 what the f–ck Disney,” while another labeled it “wildly tone deaf.”

The backlash has been particularly strong from within the black community.

BREAKING: Disney is under massive backlash from the Black community for launching a children’s tv show featuring a new superhero created by Disney Jr. called Captain Durag who can be seen flying around the with Durag covering his face as a mask.

Many Black Americans feel… pic.twitter.com/PEFK7hLMjQ

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) February 16, 2026

Captain Durag is low-key diabolical on black history month https://t.co/TcJ2cUgKhm

— I know u are but what am i? (@Only1ThxtHobbit) February 17, 2026

In response to the uproar, Disney reportedly removed several “Captain Durag” clips from its YouTube channel, though the company has issued no official statement on the character’s future.

Despite the criticism, the character’s creator, 28-year-old Jamaican-American artist and comedian Camille Corbett, defended her creation.

In an X post, Corbett stated, “I created the character Durag Man, now known as Captain Durag on the Disney Show, Hey AJ and I’m just finding out people are finding it problematic? I just wanted our culture to have a superhero of its own!”

I created the character Durag Man, now known as Captain Durag on the Disney Show, Hey AJ and I’m just finding out people are finding it problematic? I just wanted our culture to have a superhero of its own! pic.twitter.com/0Klh7soTPG

— Camille Corbett (@TheWittyGirl) February 16, 2026

Corbett further told The New York Post that “as a scholar,” she’d “never speak on anything I’ve never experienced,” and encouraged viewers to watch the show.

“Hey AJ!” creator Martellus Bennett also pushed back against the detractors on Instagram, writing, “If that offends you, maybe the problem isn’t the durag. Maybe the problem is that you’ve never seen black imagination treated as sacred, heroic and worthy of a cape.”

 

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A post shared by MR. TOMONOSHi! (@mr.tomonoshi)

Bennett described the character as a reflection of black life.

Disney has faced criticism from the right for years over its pandering to woke leftists, and it still hasn’t saved them from the mob’s wrath.

The post Backlash Erupts Over Disney’s New ‘Captain Durag’ Cartoon Character for Being ‘Stereotypical’ and ‘Offensive’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Jesse Kelly of “The First” spoke to “Just the News” founder John Solomon on the threat of drone warfare in the United States over the weekend.

The interview covered potential threats, including soft targets like malls and other public places.

“You’ve heard about drones taking place over there. They are coming from Yemen! But it’s happening here. Right here as well,” Kelly said.

“Joining me now, the wonderful John Solomon, founder of ‘Just the News,’” Kelly said.

“We saw the airspace in El Paso was closed. What? What happened?” Kelly asked.

“We have these new drone protection capabilities that find penetrations quicker and faster,” Solomon said.

“They alert us quicker on unidentified flying objects, and then if they meet a certain shape or size, there is an opportunity to blow them out of the sky with non-missiles. Things like lasers and other capabilities,” Solomon continued.

“Something that resembled a drone or a balloon. We immediately close down the airspace,” Solomon said.

“Then the airspace is reopened. That is the sort of rapid response that we want in America, not the sort of torture, excuse making response we saw with the Chinese spy balloon a couple of years ago,” Solomon explained.

“Can you help me understand at least from the people you talked to. How many entities out there are using these things potentially for nefarious purposes? As you mentioned Hamas, everyone is gonna know that. Cartels, we all know that now,” Kelly asked.

“Who else is using this stuff?” Kelly asked.

“The Houthis for sure. For a long time, Houthis in Yemen would only fire missiles,” Solomon said.

“Missiles are expensive. Drones are cheap, and then they began going to these more inexpensive drones to create the same sort of capabilities,” Solomon continued.

“You could pick something up tomorrow at a Best Buy, a Walmart or at Amazon that costs a thousand bucks. That can carry a small payload like maybe, some germs,” Solomon said.

“We know it’s very possible and the bad guys are thinking that way,” Solomon warned of soft targets like Disney World.

“Are private companies being proactive about this, or are they lagging seriously behind?” Kelly asked.

Solomon explained that regarding infrastructure, security has been getting better. He explained also that high profile events like the Olympics and the World Cup have a high priority for security and drone detection.

Solomon explained that the soft targets like shopping malls are a concern because it is more difficult to protect places like that.

Watch:

The post Jesse Kelly and John Solomon on the Reality of Drone Warfare – “Missiles are Expensive. Drones are Cheap” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Orbán accuses Ukraine of fomenting chaos in Hungary to benefit the Globalist opposition candidate.

This is a conflict that’s raging for months, but now, as Hungarian elections approach, the question of the Druzhba pipeline has come to the forefront of geopolitical tensions between Budapest and Kiev.

The supply of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline across Ukrainian territory was cut by an attack, causing an explosion that destroyed it.

BREAKING:

Hungary just nixed the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine last minute.

A unanimous vote was needed; Budapest said no.

This could hit Ukraine’s budget hard by April, risking the IMF aid too.

Source: Financial Times pic.twitter.com/J3jS5O2bns

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) February 20, 2026

While in the last few days Orbán and Slovakia’s Robert Fico have retaliated by halting the delivery of Diesel and energy to Ukraine, they have now gone a step further, blocking the much-needed EU funds from reaching Kyiv.

Announcement

As long as Ukraine blocks the Friendship oil pipeline, Hungary will block the €90 billion Ukrainian war loan.
We cannot be blackmailed!https://t.co/84SUrMU4Em

— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) February 20, 2026

Hungary announced that it will block the $106-billion European Union loan to Ukraine until the Russian oil flows again through the Druzhba pipeline.

Associated Press reported:

“In a video posted on social media Friday evening, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of ‘blackmailing’ Hungary by failing to restart oil shipments. He said his government would block a massive interest-free loan the EU approved in December to help Kyiv to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years.

‘We will not give in to this blackmail. We do not support Ukraine’s war, we will not pay for it’, Szijjártó said. ‘As long as Ukraine blocks the resumption of oil supplies to Hungary, Hungary will block European Union decisions that are important and favorable for Ukraine’.”

We are blocking the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine until oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline resumes.

Ukraine is blackmailing Hungary by halting oil transit in coordination with Brussels and the Hungarian opposition to create supply disruptions in Hungary and push…

— Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) February 20, 2026

“Hungary’s decision to block the key funding for Ukraine came two days after it suspended shipments of diesel to its embattled neighbor until oil flows through the Druzhba were resumed, and only days before the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Nearly every country in Europe has significantly reduced or entirely ceased Russian energy imports since Moscow launched its war in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Yet Hungary — an EU and NATO member — has maintained and even increased its supply of Russian oil and gas.”

They say Ukraine is defending the EU. Not true. Europe is protected by NATO and Russia has not attacked any EU member state. This is not our war. Ukraine fights for itself. pic.twitter.com/WGMjBxNn2R

— Péter Szijjártó (@FM_Szijjarto) February 20, 2026

Read more:

Budapest Suspends Diesel to Ukraine Until Kiev Regime Repairs Druzhba Pipeline Transporting Russian Oil to Hungary – Slovakia Also Stops Energy Transfers to Kiev (VIDEOS)

The post ORBÁN FIGHTS BACK: Hungary Blocks $106 Billion EU Loan to Ukraine Until Zelensky Allows Flow of Russian Oil Through Druzhba Pipeline To Resume appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The Tennessee House of Representatives approved legislation Thursday that would allow private individuals and organizations to decline to recognize same-sex marriages.

According to LifeSite News, House Bill 1473 passed by a majority of 68-24. All Republicans voted in favor, while all Democrats voted against it.

The bill does not challenge the legality of same-sex marriage.

However, it would exempt banks, medical institutions, and other private entities from recognizing what it calls “a purported marriage between individuals of the same sex.”

It also states that government officials may not face discipline or sanctions for “declining to celebrate or officiate at a marriage or commitment ceremony that falls outside the definition of marriage provided in this code.”

The measure challenges the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

“Private citizens and organizations are not bound by the Fourteenth Amendment or by the Supreme Court’s purported interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment in Obergefell v. Hodges,” the bill states.

Republican state Rep. Gino Bulso introduced the legislation.

“It was the U.S. Supreme Court on June the 26th of 2015 that overstepped its bounds and invented this ‘right’ to marriage of individuals of the same sex, despite there being no support whatsoever in the language of the 14th Amendment for that proposition,” Bulso said.

The bill now heads to the Republican-controlled state Senate, where it is currently under review in the Judiciary Committee.

Bulso referenced Tennessee’s 2006 Marriage Protection Amendment, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman and passed with 81 percent support.

“The overwhelming majority of Tennesseans already affirmed what we have known for all of history: marriage is between one man and one woman,” he said in a press release.

“This legislation protects religious liberty in the Volunteer State by clarifying that private citizens can never be forced to recognize any other definition,” Bulso added.

Progressives are already planning protests against the legislation this weekend.

In recent years, Tennessee has enacted several laws addressing LGBT-related policies, including bans on sex change procedures for minors and the participation of biological men in women’s sports.

Should the bill pass through the Senate and be signed into law, it will inevitably face legal challenges all the way up to the Supreme Court.

Last November, the Supreme Court rejected a bid by a Christian woman from Kentucky to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, effectively ending any conservative hopes of one day reversing the ruling.

Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Overturn Decision That Legalized Same-Sex Marriage

The post Tennessee House Passes Bill Protecting Right to Decline Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.