OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The Republican response to President Joe Biden’s “angry” State of the Union Address was equally raucous, but much of it focused on criticisms of his border, economic, and foreign policies as illegal immigration and inflation skyrocketed to Americans’ top concerns this election year.
Freshman Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) gave the official response, which has led to rumors that she might be on former President Donald Trump’s shortlist for running mates because she described much of Biden’s speech as being wildly out of touch with the issues most Americans care about.
“Like so many families across America, my family and I just watched President Biden’s State of the Union Address from our living room, and what we saw was a performance from a permanent politician who has been in office longer than I’ve been alive,” the 42-year-old Britt noted in a video that was shot in her kitchen. “One thing was clear, though: Biden just doesn’t get it. He’s out of touch.”
Britt began by whacking Biden over his lax immigration and border enforcement policies, noting that at least 11 million people have either crossed illegally or have been allowed to stay in the country pending asylum claims that Republicans argue, by law, should have been made in other countries before reading the U.S.
“President Biden inherited the most secure border of all time, but minutes after taking office he suspended all deportations, he halted construction of the border wall, and he announced a plan to give amnesty to millions,” she said. “We know that President Biden didn’t just create this border crisis. He invited it with 94 executive actions in his first 100 days.”
@SenKatieBritt makes a great argument regarding Biden's horrible border policies: He's not serious about 'fixing' the problem because he and his handlers intentionally created it. pic.twitter.com/2VTLTLiRyb
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) March 8, 2024
“The American people are scraping by while President Biden proudly proclaims that Bidenomics is working,” she said. “Goodness, y’all. Bless his heart. We know better.”
In addition, Britt sacked Biden over his deadly and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, growing instability in the world, and the left’s ongoing efforts to ‘reform’ criminal justice by failing to prosecute suspects, which has led to an explosion of crime in many cities.
Meanwhile, Trump live-streamed responses to Biden’s speech on his Truth Social platform, drawing in record numbers.
“There is very little that Joe Biden can say that can mitigate the damage he has done to our Country. We are under a MIGRANT INVASION the likes of which has never been witnessed in World History,” Trump wrote at one point. “Migrant Crime is rampant, and he just doesn’t want to do anything about it. AMAZING!”
“That may be the Angriest, Least Compassionate, and Worst State of the Union Speech ever made,” Trump continued. “It was an Embarrassment to our Country!”
At one point during his address, Biden astoundingly called Trump and Republicans the biggest threats to democracy since the Civil War, a comment that drew the most emotional response from the former president.
“JOE BIDEN IS A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY!” Trump wrote. “HE WEAPONIZED GOVERNMENT AGAINST HIS OPPONENT – DIDN’T TALK ABOUT THAT, NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE!”
Trump also lambasted Biden over his border policies.
“There is nothing he can say tonight that can absolve him from letting 15 million people into our Country illegally,” Trump wrote. “He’ll probably blame me, but I had the Safest Border in the History of our Country, so that won’t go very far!”
Republicans took to the X platform to rebut Biden as well.
“The Real State of the Union: Every American who walks down the aisle of a grocery store or fills up at the gas pump has felt the impact of Biden’s failed economy,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wrote a reference to the 17 percent increase in inflation since Biden took office. “Joe Biden is responsible for tanking our economy.”
