Biden Responds to Heckling by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene During State of the Union Address

During his State of the Union address on Thursday, President Biden had an unexpected exchange with Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia. Greene shouted out during Biden’s speech regarding immigration and urged him to acknowledge Laken Riley, a University of Georgia student who tragically lost her life last month.

While delivering his remarks, Biden paused as Greene called out ‘Laken Riley,’ the name of the student who was killed by an individual from Venezuela who had entered the country illegally in 2022. Greene was seen wearing a red ‘Make America Great Again‘ hat as she sat in the chamber.

Biden, holding a pin with Riley’s name that several GOP lawmakers were wearing, remarked, ‘Laken Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal. That’s right. But how many thousands of people are being killed by illegals?’ He expressed his heartfelt condolences to Riley’s parents, underscoring his empathy for their loss as a parent who has also lost children.

The President then emphasized the need for a shift in the border dynamic, shedding light on the situation where individuals pay smugglers to cross the border. He called upon Republican lawmakers to take up a bipartisan border security bill in the Senate that aimed to enhance border security and limit certain asylum claims.

Biden used the moment to contrast his approach with that of his predecessor, former President Trump, who had opposed the Senate bill, which ultimately did not proceed due to several factors. The President addressed the audience, calling upon Trump to stop playing politics and to support the legislation, highlighting the importance of collaboration in passing pivotal legislation.

Directing his words to Trump, Biden stated, ‘But here’s what I will not do – I will not demonize immigrants, saying they “poison the blood of our country,” as he said in his own words.’ Biden’s interaction with Greene highlighted the ongoing debates surrounding immigration policy and the differing stances adopted by various political figures.