It was a summer of fiery town halls as attendees clashed over Trump, immigration, Gaza and Medicaid

With political tensions running high, the vast majority of congressional lawmakers steered clear of town halls this summer.

With political tensions running high, the vast majority of congressional lawmakers steered clear of town halls this summer. The handful who entered the lion’s den were met with boos, jeers and tense confrontations.

President Donald Trump and the Republicans may have full control of Washington, but protesters spared neither political party. At 25 town halls across the country that were viewed or attended by NBC News this summer, voters pressured Democrats to deploy more aggressive tactics as they battle Trump and took them to task over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Republicans faced hostile crowds over their support for Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” his nationwide immigration crackdown and Trump’s deployment of federal forces to Washington, D.C., in what he has called an effort to crack down on crime.

The crowd reacts as Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., answers questions from constituents at a town hall in Lincoln on Aug. 4. Scott Morgan / Reuters fileThe hostile tone is not a huge surprise, given that town halls tend to attract fired-up activists who want nothing more than to turn up the heat on their elected officials. But these public events provide a snapshot of our nation’s white-hot politics in the first quarter of Trump’s tumultuous second term.

“Alligator Alcatraz,” masked agents carrying out ICE raids, third-country deportations: Anger at Trump’s immigration blitz was palpable at town halls across the country, in districts represented by both Democrats and Republicans.