U.S. Reps. Lloyd Doggett and other Democrats hold up signs reading “False” to call out lies in the president’s speech. Credit: Courtesy Photo / Lloyd Doggett

U.S. Rep. Al Green of Houston made headlines by heckling Donald Trump’s speech when the president bragged that his 1.5% margin of victory in the last election gave him a “mandate like has not been seen in many decades.”

But Green wasn’t the only Texas Democrat who called out Trump for a falsehood-filled address that vilified migrants and transgender people, used rambling rationale to defend the trade war triggered by his tariffs and showed his ongoing fixation with the record of predecessor Joe Biden.

Lone Star State Democrats targeted Trump by offering a live fact-checking of his more-than-90-minute address, walking out of the speech and holding a press conference highlighting the administration’s cuts to programs dealing with childhood cancer.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett — an Austin Democrat who also represented San Antonio prior to a 2023 redistricting — was one of those how held up signs saying “False” to target lies or misleading statements during the speech.

“While some of my equally outraged colleagues chose not to attend, I chose to confront Trump face-to-face and confront his lies one by one,” Doggett said in an emailed statement explaining his choice. “The People’s House must not be left unchecked to a wannabe tyrant spewing lies.”

During a virtual press conference the afternoon of Trump’s speech, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio hosted Jason Massiatte, CEO of Ma Hila’s Heart Children’s Cancer Foundation, based in his district. Both decried Trump’s push to cut both Medicaid and federal funding for cancer research.

“Eighty-percent of our [patient] families are Medicaid recipients,” Massiatte said. “So, not having that resource and thinking about a possible cut in that funding is risking a child’s life.”

Massiatte added that six bipartisan cancer-related bills Congress passed late last year appear to be dead because Trump is unwilling to sign them into law.

Castro also pointed out that the administration’s deep cuts to medical research funding would affect Texas institutions.

“With these cuts to research, [Houston’s] MD Anderson [Cancer Center], for example, is facing a $40 million cut,” said Castro, who’s a cancer survivor. “The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio is also facing cuts, and that’s true for other institutions in Texas and around the country.”

During his speech, Trump gave a 13-year-old cancer survivor a ceremonial recognition as a Secret Service agent, but made no mention of what effect the deep cuts proposed by his administration could have on medical research funding.

U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, whose district spans parts of San Antonio and Austin, targeted his attack on Elon Musk, whom Trump empowered to slash government jobs and agencies. Republicans gave the billionaire Trump donor a standing ovation during the speech.

“The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over,” Trump declared during his address without acknowledging that Musk wasn’t elected and was never confirmed to any federal position.

“All you need to know about State of the Union: Trump lied to cover up for Musk stealing,” Casar said. “They want to steal our healthcare, steal from our veterans, and steal from you to give to billionaires. The American people must fight back.”

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This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2025.

Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current. He holds degrees from Trinity University and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative...