Megyn Kelly took aim this week at what she described as the Democratic Party’s “unofficial protest” of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, blasting what she characterized as over-the-top theatrics that unfolded both inside and outside the chamber.
On Tuesday night’s episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, the former Fox News anchor played a series of clips from a counter-programming event organized by Democrats, highlighting what she called “absurd behavior.” Among the visuals: inflatable frogs, a man in a giraffe costume, and a duet performance by former MSNBC host Joy Reid.
“Outside the chamber, we had even more absurd behavior by these guys,” Kelly said. “I don’t even know which one to start with.”
She began with Rep. Maxine Dexter, a Democrat from Oregon, who appeared at what was billed as a “People’s State of the Union” event. In the clip Kelly aired, Dexter delivered remarks denouncing Trump and what she called his “authoritarian project,” while flanked by a group of individuals wearing inflatable frog costumes.
“Tonight I defy Trump and his authoritarian project by standing in joyful, radical, peaceful resistance with the Portland Frog Brigade!” Dexter declared, as the costumed frogs danced around her.
Kelly reacted bluntly: “Oh my God. These are not serious people.”
RealClearPolitics co-founder Tom Bevan, appearing on the show, also weighed in. While acknowledging the spectacle looked “silly,” he referenced Fox News contributor David Marcus, who posted on X that the Portland Frog Brigade is “literally Antifa.” According to Marcus, the frog costumes are worn to evade identification and to project a playful image. “They are neither,” Marcus wrote, as quoted by Bevan.
The segment didn’t stop there. Kelly then played footage of ICE protester Robbie Roadsteamer, who appeared at the event dressed as a giraffe. In the clip, Roadsteamer sang in a growling voice while playing the harmonica and railing against Trump.
“OK, we’ve seen enough,” Kelly said after the clip aired. “Who says they’re gonna counter-program with Robbie Roadsteamer in a giraffe costume following the inflatable frog act? I mean, this is the state of the Democrats.”
Kelly wrapped up the segment by airing a clip of Joy Reid participating in what she described as an awkward musical duet, further underscoring her argument that the protest event lacked seriousness.
The spectacle also caught the attention of President Trump. On Truth Social, he shared a New York Post article with the headline, “Dems ditched American heroes for adults in frog suits and tiresome De Niro — all we can do is pity them,” amplifying criticism of the counter-event.
While Democrats sought to offer an alternative to Trump’s address, Kelly’s segment painted a starkly different picture — one of a party, in her view, leaning into costumes and performance art rather than substantive opposition. For Kelly and her guests, the imagery of dancing frogs, a harmonica-playing giraffe, and a musical duet spoke volumes about what they see as the current direction of the Democratic Party.
As Trump’s speech commanded the national spotlight, the counter-programming effort generated attention of its own — though perhaps not in the way its organizers intended.
