Democratic Women Flaunted Their Bright Pink Attire at the Congressional Address, but Why?

Dozens of Democratic congresswomen made a bold statement at President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress on March 4, 2025, arriving in bright pink — a striking and unexpected choice. While some might wonder if it was simply a fashion preference, the coordinated effort suggests otherwise.

Instead of the traditional blue or black, these women intentionally stood out in pink, and there’s a powerful reason behind it. Here’s why they wore it.

Pink has long been associated with femininity, but for Democratic congresswomen at President Donald Trump’s 2025 joint address to Congress, it was also a symbol of protest. Several Democratic women in Congress coordinated their outfits to send a message to Trump.

New Mexico Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, confirmed to TIME on March 3 that the decision was intentional. "Pink is a color of power and protest," she explained. "It’s time to rev up the opposition and come at Trump loud and clear."

Their coordinated show of pink was meant to highlight concerns about Trump’s policies, which they argue negatively impact women and families.

Political statements at formal addresses aren’t new. In 2020, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously shredded Trump’s speech during his State of the Union address. In 2024, the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) wore white and sported "Fighting for Reproductive Freedom" pins at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union to push back against restrictions on women’s healthcare. Their message at the time: "Women must be able to access the healthcare they need to control their own lives and futures."

So why pink in 2025? Well, one of the biggest concerns for Democrats is Trump’s proposed federal spending cuts could impact Medicaid and its availability. Medicaid is a program many women, including mothers and expecting mothers, rely on. The March of Dimes reports that in 2023 alone, 45 percent of mothers were covered by Medicaid at the time of birth.

In her interview with TIME, Teresa pointed out, "Women have worn pink in opposition to Trump before, and we will do it again." And clearly, they did. What speaks more femininity than a wave of bold, bright pink standing out in a crowd of blues and blacks?

Wearing pink wasn’t the only bold move Teresa and other female Democrats made at Trump’s formal address to Congress. According to TIME, they also brought guests who had firsthand experience with the negative impact of Trump and his administration’s efforts, including union leaders and federal workers.

Teresa explained, "I think it's important that Trump, my Republican colleagues, and the nation see the faces and the pain that he is inflicting on America and on the services we depend on." And it would seem their efforts paid off, as their coordinated show of pink quickly became a major topic of conversation within hours of Trump’s address.