Greene says she ‘didn’t take any bait’ by heckling Biden

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Wednesday she “didn’t take any bait” in heckling President Biden during his State of the Union address the night before. 

Greene told CNN’s Manu Raju in an interview that she was acting in her capacity as a representative of the people during the speech and received messages from constituents commending her. 

“I didn’t take any bait,” she said. 

“As a matter of fact, I got so many messages from people in my district and people across the country, it was like I won my election again,” continued the conservative firebrand, a supporter of former President Trump. 

Greene yelled “liar” at Biden during his address when he accused some Republicans of wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare. 

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

Other Republicans shouted “no” in response. 

It was one of several instances during Biden’s speech in which Republicans interrupted him with outbursts. 

Greene said Biden “got exactly what he deserved” and she will not apologize. 

“What am I going to do? Stand up and give golf claps? No, thank you. I don’t clap for liars,” she said. 

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who shook his head as Biden spoke about Republicans wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare funding, has said that potential funding cuts to those programs are “off the table” in negotiations for raising the debt ceiling. 

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), however, doubled down on his proposal to sunset all federal legislation after five years, including the social safety net programs.

“In my plan, I suggested the following: All federal legislation sunsets in five years. If a law is worth keeping, Congress can pass it again,” Scott said in a statement following Biden’s address.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) suggested that the Republicans who heckled Biden showed they are “unfit” to serve in Congress.