President Joe Biden was interrupted during his State of the Union address this week by an angry Gold Star Father of a fallen marine who lost his life while carrying out the Biden administration’s plan of withdrawal from Afghanistan, during which the United States lost over 10 service members.
Steve Nikoui, 51, is being charged with “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding Congress,” after shouting at the President during his SOTU speech. The altercation began when Biden, 81, made the remark that “America’s safer now than when I took office.” Nikoui responded to the president by saying “Abbey Gate! Second battalion, First Marines!” referencing a location where his son, Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, 20, and 12 other U.S. marines lost their lives amid a horrific bombing during the attempted evacuation.
Capitol police ordered Nikoui to be quiet and sit down, and when he refused, Nikoui was quickly escorted from the chamber in custody.
Pro-Hamas protestors tear up DC and interfere w/ a presidential motorcade? No consequences. A Gold Star dad, whose son was killed in Biden's stupid withdrawal from Afghanistan, gets hauled out in handcuffs.https://t.co/qlVHtBsuoJ
— Hung Cao (@HungCao_VA) March 8, 2024
Nikoui was invited to the event by Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) who later coordinated the release of Nikoui from the sergeant-at-arms.
“Mr. Nikoui lost his son due to Joe Biden’s incompetence, and lost another son to grief over losing his brother,” Mast said in a statement, referring to Nikoui’s other son who took his life over the death of his little brother. Mast continued his support by taking to his X profile, saying:
“Steve Nikoui, the father of fallen Marine LCpl. Kareem Nikoui, was my guest to [The State of the Union], and he was arrested because he cried out to [Joe Biden] to remember his son.” The tweet is currently at over 270k views, with many politicians sending support to Nikoui and his family. Many are also commenting on the incompetence of the Biden administration’s actions during the evacuation.
“They sent my son over there as a paper pusher and then had the Taliban outside providing security. I blame my own military leaders … Biden turned his back on him. That’s it,” Nikoui stated after the incident in 2021.
