As Donald Trump delivered his first address to Congress on Tuesday night, Democratic women turned the chamber into a sea of pink in a bold statement against the US President’s policies. The coordinated effort, led by the Democratic Women’s Caucus, was meant to highlight concerns over rising costs, tariffs, funding cuts for women’s health research, and reduced support for domestic violence survivors.
“Pink has been used as a colour of protest against Trump,” said Teresa Leger Fernandez, New Mexico Senator and chair of the caucus. For the address, she was seen wearing a magenta blazer, a pale pink blouse, pleated pink pants, and a ‘Betrayed for Billionaires’ button.
“Our safety and security is at risk. They are cutting the programmes to protect women who have suffered from rape, from domestic violence, from abuse,” she told The Washington Post.
US Representative Jill Tokuda wore a pink jacket with words from the US Constitution to protest the Trump administration’s policies.
Illinois Democratic Senator Delia Ramirez, who also wore pink, told NBC, “It’s really a reminder that this colour is also a colour of resistance and that every single woman that’s in that State of the Union wearing that pink is going to continue to fight back for women and girls.”
The Democratic Women’s Caucus has previously used wardrobe choices as a political statement. In past high-profile events, such as the Democratic National Convention and the 2024 State of the Union address, members wore white in honour of the suffragist movement and to highlight women’s rights issues.
This time, pink was chosen for its visibility and historical ties to protest movements, including the Women’s March in 2017 and demonstrations against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The press often pays attention to what women wear, for good or for bad,” said Ms Fernandez. “So we want to wear this colour to raise the alarm about the negative impacts his policies are having on women.”
The effort to coordinate outfits came together swiftly. “Women are flexible and nimble,” she said. “Suitcases were packed. People went to consignment stores. They shared clothes with each other. We are sharing the colour of pink with each other even as we speak,” she said.
She also noted that Trump’s tariffs on imported goods were making everyday life more expensive, particularly for women who manage household budgets.