Photo: U.S. Representative Diana DeGette, speaking in 2024 at the Westwood Opportunity Center in Denver. (Photo by Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)
This story by Lindsey Toomer appeared on Colorado Newsline on February 23, 2026.
U.S. Representative Diana DeGette of Denver will not attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address tonight, Tuesday, February 24.
“Donald Trump demeans our Constitution, courts, and respected public institutions almost every day,” DeGette said in a statement. “I will not legitimize his egregious actions by attending his address.”
Since starting his second term, Colorado has been a frequent target of Trump’s actions. He illegitimately pardoned former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who is in prison for her role in breaching the security of her own election equipment. He is dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. He denied Federal Emergency Management Agency relief for areas affected by wildfires and flooding in Colorado, among other significant funding freezes.
Trump has pledged to carry out the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” aiming to remove all of the estimated 12 million immigrants in the country without permanent legal status, regardless of how long they have been in the country, the legal status of their family members or whether they have criminal records.
The violence and questionable adherence to due process in the administration’s immigration enforcement have sparked national outrage. More than 50 people have died while in federal immigration custody under Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
DeGette also did not attend Trump’s joint address to Congress last March. She is one of several Democrats boycotting Trump’s State of the Union. Others include U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff of California, Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and U.S. Reps. Delia Ramirez of Illinois, Veronica Escobar of Texas and Pramila Jayapal of Washington, among others.
Some Democrats plan to attend an outdoor rally dubbed the “People’s State of the Union” in lieu of the speech. There’s also a “State of the Swamp” event in Washington, D.C., that U.S. Rep. Jason Crow of Aurora plans to attend, though he will also go to the president’s address.
Lawmakers who do plan to attend the State of the Union can bring a guest of their choice.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado will bring Andrea Loya, executive director of Aurora nonprofit Casa de Paz, which provides welcoming and support services for people released from an ICE detention center in Aurora.
Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado will bring Caroline Dias Goncalves, a University of Utah nursing student who was detained by ICE in Grand Junction in June and held in Aurora’s ICE facility for 15 days.
U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, will bring Tyler Guyton, who is the student council president at Evergreen High School. A gunman shot and injured two students at the school in September.
Representatives for House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse, a Lafayette Democrat; U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, a Grand Junction Republican; U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Windsor Republican; U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank, a Colorado Springs Republican; and U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, a Fort Lupton Republican did not respond to a request for comment.
Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com. You can support Newsline here.
Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com.