President Biden's 2024 State of the Union address

President Joe Biden engaged in a back-and-forth with Republicans from the House Floor Thursday, calling lawmakers out for supporting Trump-era tax cuts at the expense of Social Security and Medicare.

It’s the second time Biden clashed with Republican lawmakers over funding for the two entitlement programs during the State of the Union in as many years, In 2023, Biden called out “some Republicans” for looking “to sunset” the two programs, prompting boos from the Republican side of the aisle.

President Joe Biden in his address tonight said that he wants to harness the promise of artificial intelligence but also protect Americans from the danger the technology poses.

That’s a tricky balance, and one even the tech industry isn’t quite sure how to achieve. In fact, many of the loudest voices warning about AI are coming from within the tech world itself.

Just this week, a Microsoft employee sent a letter to the US Federal Trade Commission warning the company’s artificial intelligence systems could create harmful images, including sexualized images of women.

Financial regulators in the US have also said last year that the use of artificial intelligence poses a risk to the financial system.

And researchers have flagged the potential for AI image generators to produce political misinformation ahead of elections in the United States and dozens of other countries this year.

Some members of Congress were seen wearing the pins with "153" on them that were passed out by Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider.

The "153" stands for the number of days that hostages have been in custody in Gaza, according to a Democratic aide.

After the October 7 attack, Israel has a right to go after Hamas, President Joe Biden said during his State of the Union address on Thursday. But Israel also has a “fundamental responsibility” to protect civilians in Gaza, the president said.

As the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates, Biden announced that the United States will establish a temporary pier near the enclave that will be used to deliver supplies.

The president also said his administration, along with other countries, has been working to reach an agreement for a temporary ceasefire to release Israeli hostages.

President Joe Biden directed the US military on an emergency mission to help transport more aid to Gaza as a humanitarian crisis unravels there amid Israel's war on Hamas.

The president maintained his vow that "no US boots will be on the ground" in Gaza, and called on Israel to "do its part" and allow more aid inside.

"To the leadership of Israel, I say this: Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip. Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority," he said.

President Joe Biden criticized the fiscal management of former President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address, claiming, “They added more to the national debt than any presidential term in American history. Check the numbers." 

Facts First: Biden’s numbers are correct; the national debt rose from about $19.9 trillion to about $27.8 trillion during Trump’s tenure, an increase of about 39% and more than in any other four-year presidential term, in part because of Trump’s major tax cuts. But it is an oversimplification to blame presidents alone for debt incurred during their tenures. Some of the Trump-era increase in the debt was due to the trillions of dollars in emergency Covid-19 pandemic relief spending that passed with bipartisan support and because of spending required by safety-net programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, that were created by previous presidents. 

The national debt has continued to increase under Biden. As of the day before Biden’s address, it was about $34.4 trillion, federal figures show — an increase of about 24% during his tenure. 

President Joe Biden is talking about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in his primetime State of the Union address — a topic that has consumed much of the president’s time and attention over the past few months.

Biden, a longtime supporter of Israel, has navigated a delicate political path since the war with Hamas began in early October, but the immense death toll in Gaza, coupled with ever-increasing political pressure at home, has added to his urgency in concluding the conflict.

The White House has come under mounting criticism and pressure to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Officials and Biden allies hope that the war — which has eroded support for Biden among key constituencies like Arab Americans, young voters and progressives — will be fully in the rear-view mirror by November and that perhaps Thursday’s speech could help mark a public turning of the corner in the deadly conflict.

In the meantime, negotiations for a potential deal to release hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza are ongoing. The United States is one of the countries participating in the talks.

Some more context: Frustration is also mounting within the Biden administration about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s continued refusal to open more land crossings for critically needed aid to reach the people of Gaza. The US and its partners have resorted to airdropping food into Gaza.

GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden was the member who yelled “lies” when President Joe Biden criticized former President Donald Trump, according to two sources who heard him.

Several Republicans appeared to have left the speech early and did not stay for the rest of the speech.

One member, GOP Rep. Max Miller, who left early, said he left because: “This is beneath a president. It’s a full blown campaign speech.”

President Joe Biden brought up the work his administration has done on border security reforms.

Immigration and migrant surges have become a central political issue for Biden as he makes a case for another four years. His likely GOP rival, former President Donald Trump, has been attacking him on the campaign trail.

Last month, both Biden and Trump visited border towns in Texas. A February CNN poll showed just 30% of Americans approve of his performance on the issue and 79% of voters — including majorities across party lines — say that the situation on the border represents a crisis.

The White House said it is considering executive action to restrict migrants’ ability to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border if they crossed illegally. It's a move that is sure to invite fierce backlash from immigration advocates and progressives.

The Biden administration has taken other steps to try tightening asylum at the US-Mexico border. Last year, the administration released a regulation that largely barred migrants who traveled through other countries on their way to the US southern border from applying for asylum in the United States — marking a departure from decades-long protocol.

Biden also has been looking to blame Trump for the collapse of a bipartisan border deal that was killed in the Senate last month. It included a new emergency authority that would allow the Homeland Security secretary to shut down the border if certain triggers are met, and raised the legal standard of proof to pass the initial screening for asylum, among other measures.