From ‘Liar’ to ‘Close the Border’: What GOP Lawmakers Shouted During Biden Address

Biden's 72-minute speech, in which he focused on US domestic and foreign policy, came as the POTUS’ public approval rating hovers near the lowest level of his presidency.

Joe Biden’s annual State of the Union address on Tuesday night prompted shouts and heckles from an array of angry Republican lawmakers despite the fact that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy earlier warned against interrupting the US president. Here's a summary of what GOP members yelled.

'Liar'

House Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene seemed to be at the forefront of those shouting during the President's speech. She stood up to cry out “liar” as her fellow lawmakers sniped at Biden over his remarks that some in the GOP want to make cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

“Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans — some Republicans want Social Security and Medicare to sunset. I’m not saying it’s the majority,” Biden said.

This was followed by boos and jeers from the Republicans in attendance, with many shouting “no” and some yelling “liar”. Greene, for her part, tweeted that “Joe Biden is lying to the American People” as POTUS continued to deliver his speech.

'Close the Border'

Greene also interjected when the President stressed the need to curb deaths from opioids and fentanyl in the US.

She then shouted, “Close the border. It’s coming from China,” something that was quickly taken up by another Republican lawmaker who yelled, “It’s your fault,” referring to Biden.

In 2021, about 90 percent of 80,000 opioid-related deaths in the US involved fentanyl, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most illicit fentanyl is smuggled into the US across the southern border with Mexico, with a record 14,000 pounds of the drug seized in fiscal year 2022.

'China Spied on us'

It was Greene again who yelled as Biden touched upon a Chinese balloon that the US shot down last Saturday. When he mentioned Beijing, she shouted, “China spied on us”.

Although Washington claims that the unmanned balloon was being used for espionage purposes, China insists the airship was a craft engaged in scientific research that was blown off course by high winds.

'You Put Them in'

House Republican Lauren Boebert lambasted Biden while he was discussing how many American troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan developed cancer from exposure to toxic smoke from massive burn pits.

“A cancer that would put them in a flag-draped coffin. I know […],” Biden said, at which point Boebert yelled, “You put them in, 13 of them!”

She appeared to be referring to the 13 American service members killed in a bomb attack in Kabul as the US withdrew troops from Afghanistan in August 2021. Biden did not mention the US military’s chaotic exit from the country during his speech.

The 46th president’s second State of the Union address, which in particular centered on pressing domestic issues, was delivered as Biden’s approval rating plummeted.

A recent Gallup poll revealed that only third of Americans are satisfied with policy pursed by Biden and related to many sensitive issues, including the state of the economy, gun laws and policies on abortion. American are also dissatisfied with the quality of public education and the government’s efforts to control crime and combat poverty and homelessness.

New Format of the Speech?

A US media outlet has reported that over years, presidential aides had attempted to “shake up” the format of the State of the Union address.

“They’ve considered pulling it out of the Capitol and moving it to heartland states, shortening it by two-thirds or sticking to just a single theme”, the outlet claimed, adding that “inertia would always take hold”.