Steve Nikoui, the Gold Star father who heckled Joe Biden during his State of the Union address for his botched handling of the military withdrawal from Afghanistan, has been arrested by police.
Nikoui’s son was among the U.S. Marines killed at Kabul airport when the chaotic withdrawal under Biden’s watch took place in 2021.
Nikoui began shouting “Abbey Gate” during a section of Biden’s speech.
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A total of thirteen U.S. servicemen were killed by Islamic State–Khorasan Province (IS-KP)suicide bombers at Hamid Karzai International Airport’s Abbey Gate.
Nikoui’s son, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui was also killed during the chaos.
Nikoui’s father has now been charged with a misdemeanor pertaining to Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding, according to Capitol Police, Lance Cpl.
Nikoui was a guest of chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight Florida Rep. Brian Mast.
Mast invited the Gold Star father to the address as a way of “reminding President Biden of the damage he has done to national security and American families.”
“So much for the right to petition our government for the redress of grievances,” Mast said on X.
Two other Gold Star fathers told The New York Post before Biden’s speech that the president should expect harsh words.
“There’s been other people that have confirmed that information that Biden knew — damn good and well — that Afghanistan was going to fall,” said Mark Schmitz, the father of Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, calling the withdrawal “a totally epic screw-up.”
For Gold Star families, Biden failed to assign responsibility for the deaths of their loved ones.
“It’s despicable. I’m not holding my breath at all that we’re gonna get [it],” Schmitz said.
“He didn’t care. And he left all the munitions behind at Bagram [Airfield],” he added, referring to $7 billion worth of U.S. military equipment left ot the Taliban.
“That’s why we’re honored to have them here. It’s why we want them in the audience,” he added, adding that “by some miracle, [Biden] says something that they feel at least meets them halfway.”
During the SOTU address, Biden also botched the name of Laken Riley.
Greene then shouted at Biden, telling him the name of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old woman who was murdered late last month by a Venezuelan national.
“Lincoln Riley!” Biden said.
“An innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal. That’s right.”
“But how many of the thousands of people being killed by illegals? To her parents, I say, my heart goes out to you having lost children myself. I understand,” Biden said.
Greene roasted Biden on social media following the exchange:
“Joe Biden’s policies killed Laken Riley.”
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Joe Biden’s policies killed Laken Riley.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) March 8, 2024
He finally tried to say her name, but couldn’t even say it correctly.
It’s an absolute disgrace. pic.twitter.com/GMKL8tuyYz
READ: Weapons Left Behind in Afghanistan by Biden May Have Been Used in Hamas Attacks
