State of the Union 2024: Biden goes off-script to say ‘Lincoln Riley’ murdered by ‘an illegal’ after MTG taunt

President Joe Biden went off script during his State of the Union address after being called out by MAGA conservative Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who yelled for him to mention the name of a Georgia nursing student whose suspected murderer is an illegal immigrant.

As Biden delivered his remarks and called for Republicans in the House and Senate to get behind a Senate border deal, Greene heckled him and caught him off guard.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wears a Laken Riley shirt as she arrives before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Thursday March 7, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

“What about Laken Riley?” Greene repeatedly yelled out from her seat on the chamber floor.

Biden paused and then looked to his right, where he had set a “Laken Riley” pin that Greene had handed him during his procession onto the floor.

Biden picked up the pin and said, “Lincoln Riley? An innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal! That’s right? But how many of thousands of people being killed by illegals?”

The comment is likely to infuriate Democrats and left-leaning organizations that oppose the use of the term “illegals” and use “unauthorized immigrant” or “undocumented immigrant” when speaking about people who have entered the United States illegally or overstayed a visa.

“To her parents, I say my heart goes out to you, having lost children myself. I understand, but look, if we change the dynamic at the border — people pay, people — people pay these smugglers $8,000 bucks to get across the border because they know if they get by, if they get by and let into the country, it’s six to eight years before they have a hearing and it’s worth taking the chance,” said Biden.

“But if it’s only six months, six weeks, the idea is it’s highly unlikely that people will pay that money and come all that way knowing that they’ll be kicked out quickly,” Biden added.

President Joe Biden holds up a Laken Riley Botton as he delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, Thursday March 7, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Biden’s prepared remarks stated that he planned to say six months, not six weeks. The Senate border deal language also said cases would be decided in six months, not six weeks.

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Greene first approached Biden during his entrance into the House before his speech. Outfitted in a Make America Great Again hat, red jacket, and a T-shirt that read “Say her name: Laken Riley,” Greene handed Biden a pin, the same one he took to the podium.

Greene interrupted Biden’s speech in 2023 when she yelled out “liar” while he was delivering his speech.