Maxwell Frost

Some lawmakers are boycotting President Trump's State of the Union address to attend an opposing rally.

The "People's State of the Union" is being held on the National Mall by organizers MeidasTouch and MoveOn Civic Action.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is scheduled to deliver the Democratic response to the address.

Ahead of President Donald Trump's first official State of the Union address of his second term, some lawmakers are instead attending the "People's State of the Union."

Organizers MeidasTouch and MoveOn Civic Action are holding an opposing rally on the National Mall to balance what the groups called Trump’s “night full of lies and misplaced priorities for the American people.”

The State of the Union speech is an address by the president to a joint session of the United States Congress on the current state of the country and the president's plans for the future. Traditionally, the speech broadcast is followed by a counter speech from a chosen representative of the opposing party. Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s first female governor, is slated to give the Democratic response Tuesday evening.

Is Florida lawmaker and vocal critic of the Trump administration, Maxwell Frost, joining the boycott? Here's what we know.

Who is Rep. Maxwell Frost? Is he from Florida?

Maxwell Alejandro Frost, 29, is a U.S. representative representing Orlando and Central Florida in Florida's 10th Congressional District.

Frost was born in Orlando, Florida, and graduated from Osceola County School for the Arts, according to the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress. He is of Puerto Rican, Lebanese and Haitian ancestry, and was adopted at birth; his adoptive mother immigrated to the US from Cuba as a child in the 1960s, according to his campaign website.

Frost has worked on multiple campaigns in Florida, including Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and Bernie Sanders' youth voter turnout initiatives. He also worked at the American Civil Liberties Union, advocating for the restoration of voting rights for people with felony convictions, and later became the National Organizing Director for March For Our Lives.

When was Maxwell Frost elected?

Frost was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 2022 and was reelected in 2024. His current term ends on Jan. 3, 2027.

According to Ballotpedia, he is running for reelection this year.

Is Maxwell Frost attending the State of the Union?

As of Feb. 23, it is unknown if Frost is attending the State of the Union.

Has Maxwell Frost protested at a State of the Union before?

Yes. During last year's joint address, Frost was one of several Democrats who walked out of Trump's speech about a half hour in, wearing black T-shirts displaying the word "NO KINGS LIVE HERE" in white, all-capitalized letters.

Who is boycotting the State of the Union address?

As of Feb. 23, these are the confirmed lawmakers boycotting the State of the Union address:

Senators

Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts

Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut

Sev. Adam Schiff of California

Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland

Representatives

Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona

Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont

Rep. Greg Casar of Texas

Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas

Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington

Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey

As of Monday morning, Feb. 23, no Florida legislators have been listed.

When is the State of the Union speech?

Trump is set to deliver his State of the Union address on Feb. 24 starting at 9 p.m. ET. Coverage of the event is expected to run from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.

How can I watch the State of the Union speech?

USA TODAY will live-stream coverage, both on its YouTube Channel and website.

In addition to USA TODAY’s live stream, the State of the Union will be broadcast on all major television networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, NPR, and PBS.

How can I watch the 'People's State of the Union'?

The event, hosted by Katie Phang and Joy Reid, will be held on the National Mall on February 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The rally will be live-streamed on the MeidasTouch YouTube and MoveOn.org/Live.