Democratic Rep. Katie Porter displayed a sign reading “F— Trump” during a speech at the California Democratic Party’s state convention on Feb. 22, 2026, drawing applause from many attendees and criticism from Republican officials.
What the Left Is Saying
Porter said the sign was meant to convey the party’s frustration with the former president’s continued influence on the political conversation, noting that “the American people deserve an end to the chaos that Trump represents,” in a statement released after the convention.
California Democratic Party Chair Emily Hernandez praised Porter’s “courageous stand,” calling the message “a clear articulation of the values many Democrats hold dear after four tumultuous years of Trump‑era politics,” according to a press release posted on the party’s website.
What the Right Is Saying
California Republican Party Chair James “Jim” DeVore condemned the display, saying the use of profanity in a public political forum was “unprofessional and unbecoming of a member of Congress.” DeVore told reporters that “such tactics only deepen partisan divisions and do nothing to address real policy issues.”
Former Republican Congressman Mike Lee, a frequent critic of the Democratic Party’s rhetoric, called the sign “a stunt that reflects a growing desperation among Democratic leaders to vilify a former president rather than present substantive solutions,” as reported in a statement to the press.
What the Numbers Show
A Pew Research Center poll released in January 2026 found that 58% of registered California voters disapprove of Donald Trump’s impact on national politics, while 31% expressed a favorable view, indicating a sizable partisan split in the state. The California Democratic Convention hosted roughly 4,200 delegates and party officials, according to the official convention agenda posted on the state party’s website.
The Bottom Line
Porter’s protest sign underscores the ongoing tension within the Democratic Party over how to address the former president’s legacy, while Republican leaders use the incident to argue that Democratic tactics are increasingly hostile. The episode is likely to shape campaign narratives ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, as both parties assess the political cost and benefit of such confrontational messaging.