Protesters removed from GOP Rep. Byron Donalds' chaotic town hall

A town hall hosted by Rep. Byron Donalds turned chaotic Tuesday, with audience members repeatedly interrupting the Florida Republican, leading authorities to remove two people — the latest raucous town hall dominated by protests against President Trump's administration.

Donalds, a three-term congressman running in next year's Florida gubernatorial race, was asked a litany of often-testy questions, several of which focused on billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Audience members booed or cheered — and, in some cases, angrily left early — throughout the almost two-hour event at Estero High School in southwest Florida. Donalds occasionally verbally sparred with the protesters.

Two people appeared to be escorted out by the local sheriff's department after yelling pro-Palestinian sentiments while Donalds answered a question about the Israel-Hamas war. During one incident, Donalds said he would have a protester removed if she kept interrupting. "Let's have a disagreement. But when you're going to stand and yell and disrespect everybody in this room because you think you're being heard, and let's be clear, you're not," he said.