Payton McNabb 'heartbroken' over Dems' coldness at Trump speech to her story of injuries from trans athlete

Democrats refused to clap for nearly every moment of President Donald Trump's joint address Tuesday night. That included when he honored former volleyball player Payton McNabb, who suffered traumatic physical and mental injuries when she was injured by a transgender opponent in 2022. 

Trump commended the 19-year-old McNabb for overcoming her injuries, which included concussion, brain bleed and permanent whiplash, to become an advocate for protecting women and girls from biological males in their sports. 

Trump concluded the segment by reiterating his promise to cut federal funding to any U.S. school that allows trans athletes to compete against girls. 

It prompted a round of applause from the Republican side of the room, while every Democrat sat in silence. 

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President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

McNabb told Fox News Digital that the reaction of Democrats was not surprising, but was "heartbreaking" nonetheless. 

"Last night, just overall, the Democrat Party was so disrespectful," McNabb said. "And they didn't stand up for any of the guests, they didn't stand up for DJ Daniel, who is the young boy who survived brain cancer, they didn't stand up for Laken Riley's family, whose daughter literally suffered a traumatic death that should have never happened, and every other guest that was there had some sort of powerful story, and they didn't clap for any of that.

"So it was heartbreaking, and honestly I wish I could say I was surprised, but I'm not." 

Most of the Democratic congresswomen in attendance Tuesday night wore pink to protest Trump in support of women's rights. However, those congresswomen chose to do that one day after Senate Democrats voted nearly unanimously to block the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. 

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Democrats hold protest signs as President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

The law would have helped set a stricter precedent to keep trans athletes out of women's and girls' sports across the country, as many states have so far refused to comply with Trump's executive order to address the issue. But not a single Democratic senator voted to help pass the bill, and filibustered it from reaching Trump's desk. 

McNabb sent a bipartisan plea to the Senate Democrats in a previous interview with Fox News Digital, days before the vote on Monday, to consider voting for the bill. But instead, none of them voted for it, and instead wore pink to Tuesday's address.

"The Democrat party failed women. They don't care," McNabb said. "Even with daughters of their own, the fact that they did not get this bill through is just completely heartbreaking. I'm not the only story, there are so many female athletes who have shared their story, and it's not like they don't know. It's insane that this is the hill they're willing to die on. 

"It's just sad… it's just embarrassing." 

McNabb isn't alone in her condemnation of the Democrats in attendance for their etiquette on Tuesday. Many conservatives on social media have lambasted not only the congressional representatives in attendance, but the guests who sat in the gallery over not cheering for the guests, the decision to wear pink after blocking Monday's bill and waving small signs with defiant messages in protest. 

One of the most controversial moments of the night came when Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, was escorted out after waving his cane and shouting at Trump repeatedly during the opening minutes of the speech. 

He shouted, "You have no mandate," at Trump as the president touted Republican victories in the House, Senate and White House.

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Payton McNabb, left, claps as second lady Usha Vance watches during President Donald Trump's address to Congress, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had Green removed by the U.S. Sergeant-at-Arms.

"They were embarrassing to their party and to the country the way they acted with just utter disrespect all around," McNabb said.

"The way that the Democrats acted was a new low for them… the only time they clapped was for Ukraine, which was telling, but they don't clap or stand for literally anything else… the drama and theatrics were definitely there by them. I think that the shirts, the signs and the pink suits were all cute, but I think the American people know now more than ever that the Democrats are not pro-America." 

Despite the heartbreak caused by the Democrats, McNabb said she is still "extremely grateful" for having attended and getting the experience to meet key figures in the party, including second lady Usha Vance, whom McNabb sat next to on Tuesday. She also had a chance to share her story with border czar Tom Homan. 

"It was unbelievable. This is the type of thing that I'm going to remember for the rest of my life," McNabb said. 

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