Washington, D.C.: Security barriers were being assembled outside the National Press Club early Monday as organizers prepared for the upcoming “Drain the Swamp” event, a political gathering scheduled for February 24 that will feature a mix of Hollywood figures, activists, journalists, and former government officials.
Actors Robert De Niro and Mark Ruffalo headline the speaker lineup for the event, which will take place at the same time as the annual State of the Union address. Organizers say the program will include speeches, panel discussions, and live commentary focused on current political debates and civic engagement.
The event is being organized by advocacy groups including DEFIANCE.org, the Portland Frog Brigade, and COURIER. According to organizers, attendees are encouraged to participate both in person and online, with a livestream planned for viewers nationwide. “We will laugh. We will defy. We will be impossible to ignore,” organizers said in a promotional statement outlining the tone of the gathering.
The program is expected to include a broad range of speakers, from political leaders and legal analysts to journalists and cultural commentators. Among the scheduled participants are activists Stacey Abrams, journalist Jim Acosta, and several former government officials, along with scholars who study political systems and democratic institutions.
Event organizers say the timing of the gathering is intended to create an alternative public forum running parallel to the State of the Union address, encouraging discussion about public policy, civic participation, and media engagement. Hundreds of attendees are expected at the venue, while online participation is projected to draw a significantly larger audience through the livestream broadcast.
The National Press Club appearance marks one of several public events involving entertainers and advocacy groups planned across Washington during the week of the address, reflecting the growing role of celebrity voices in modern political discourse and public engagement initiatives.
