“How awful can one party be?” Conservatives take to social media after Democrats refused to stand when President Trump honored a 13-year-old brain cancer survivor and made him an honorary Secret Service agent.

“How awful can one party be?” Conservatives take to social media after Democrats refused to stand when President Trump honored a 13-year-old brain cancer survivor and made him an honorary Secret Service agent.

During President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on March 5, 2025, he honored 13-year-old Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a brain cancer survivor, by making him an honorary Secret Service agent. DJ Daniel, diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018 and given a prognosis of five months to live, has defied expectations for over six years. Throughout his battle, he aspired to become a police officer and was honored by various police departments. In a heartfelt moment during the speech, President Trump introduced DJ Daniel, praised his resilience, and officially inducted him as a Secret Service agent, presenting him with a customized badge. citeturn0search3

The incident sparked significant reactions on social media, particularly among conservative commentators, who criticized Democratic lawmakers for not standing or applauding during this segment of the speech. They expressed disapproval, suggesting that failing to honor a young cancer survivor was inappropriate. For example, Ric Grennell tweeted about the lack of applause for DJ Daniel, highlighting the perceived insensitivity.

In contrast, some liberal commentators defended the Democrats’ stance, arguing that President Trump was exploiting DJ Daniel for self-promotion, and that linking DJ’s aspiration to become a police officer with the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, was inappropriate. They viewed the Democrats’ reaction as a form of protest against the politicization of the moment.