Staff Reports
President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address was met with a chorus of Republican disapproval and heckling in the House chamber on Thursday. The Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), were urged to maintain decorum during the president’s speech, but that didn’t stop them from voicing their dissatisfaction with Biden’s agenda.
State of the Union 2024: Biden met with GOP heckling despite Johnson pleas for decorumhttps://t.co/xDxhKgkRfv
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As Biden spoke about his economic plans, including raising taxes for the wealthy, the silence in the chamber was shattered by shouts of “Lies!” from the Republican lawmakers. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) didn’t hold back, calling out the president’s son for alleged tax evasion and demanding that he “pay his fair share in taxes.”
The tension escalated as Biden addressed the issue of immigration and the southern border. When the president mentioned bipartisan negotiations on a border security bill, Senate Republicans rejected, and Johnson declared “dead on arrival,” the Republicans responded with groans and boos. Greene interrupted Biden again, this time demanding, “Laken Riley, say her name!” in reference to a tragic incident involving an illegal immigrant.
The disruptions continued as Biden spoke about the conflicts in Gaza and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Guests attending the State of the Union also joined in, with one guest questioning the reported number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza conflict and another guest shouting “Marines!” in reference to the tragic deaths during the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Despite the plea from Johnson to maintain decorum during the address, the Republican heckling persisted throughout, with GOP lawmakers cheering and yelling “Yay!” when Biden finally concluded his remarks.
It’s clear that the partisan divide in Washington remains as deep as ever, with Republicans openly expressing their opposition to Biden’s policies and agenda during the State of the Union. While Johnson had urged his fellow Republicans to refrain from causing a scene, their dissatisfaction with Biden’s proposals was on full display, with eye-rolling and head-shaking adding to the charged atmosphere in the House chamber.
