Former Biden official fine with Biden getting heckled at SOTU: 'He's not a King'

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Republicans jeering during State of the Union is what 'Americans don't want,' White House says

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded Wednesday to Republicans speaking out during President Biden's State of the Union address, saying it was "what Americans don't want."

A former Biden official said Wednesday he has "no real problem with the heckling, booing and so on" that President Biden faced at the State of the Union Tuesday night.

"Even though I worked for the guy, when it comes for the SOTU I have no real problem with the heckling, booing and so on," tweeted Tim Wu, a professor at Columbia University. "It's a democracy after all; he's not a King, Emperor or Pope, though I would draw the line at throwing things."

Republicans jeered at President Biden on several occasions during his State of the Union address Tuesday, which became a subject of media controversy. Wu worked as special assistant to the president for technology and competition policy and is best known for coining the term "net neutrality" in tech policy.

BIDEN BOOED DURING STATE OF THE UNION FOR CLAIMING GOP WANTS TO CUT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene gives a thumbs down during President Joe Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The most controversial pushback from Republicans amid Biden's address came as the president claimed the opposing party wants to cut Social Security and Medicare.

"Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security sunset," Biden said before clarifying, "I'm not saying it's a majority."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., was heard yelling, "Liar!"

"Well I'm glad – I'll tell ya, I enjoy conversion," Biden joked in response. "It means if Congress doesn't keep the programs the way they are, they'd go away. Other Republicans say – I'm not saying it's a majority of you."

GOP JEERS BIDEN AS HE CALLS FOR FENTANYL SOLUTION: 'IT'S YOUR FAULT' THE BORDER ISN'T CLOSED

President Biden was interrupted by Republicans on several occasions amid his State of the Union address Tuesday. (Andrew Caballero/Getty Images)

Republicans also jeered the president when he discussed the national debt.

"Nearly 25% of the entire national debt that took over 200 years to accumulate was added by just one administration alone – the last one," Biden said. "They’re the facts. Check it out. Check it out."

Another exchange came between Republicans and Biden on the topic of the border.

"Fentanyl is killing more than 70,000 Americans a year," Biden said before he was interrupted by shouts from the GOP to close the border.

Biden replied, "You got it," but did not expand on how he would do so.

REPUBLICANS JEERING DURING STATE OF THE UNION IS WHAT 'AMERICANS DON'T WANT,' WHITE HOUSE SAYS

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday on Air Force One that Biden was "offended" by Republican pushback during his State of the Union address. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday on Air Force One that Biden was "offended" by Republican shouting during his State of the Union address.

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"I think what you saw last night is a president that was very clear on how he sees the next two years," Jean-Pierre said. "If you talk about the split screen, right, you saw that from the president, and you saw what the Republicans were all about, which is jeering and, you know, behaving in a way that, again, Americans don't want."