Georgia
'Lincoln Riley': Biden ridiculed for appearing to flub slain Georgia student's name
President Biden was ridiculed Thursday following the State of the Union after he appeared to slip up while speaking the name of the slain Georgia student who was allegedly murdered by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant who had come across the Mexican border.
As Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. — wearing a red MAGA hat — shouted “say her name” toward the president, Biden responded by lamenting the young woman’s death but appeared to refer to her as “Lincoln Riley” — who is the coach of the University of Southern California Trojans football team.
“It’s not about him. It’s not about me. I’d be a winner… ” Biden said, referring to former President Trump’s alleged intervention in a failed bipartisan border bill before trailing off as Greene appeared to shout “say Laken Riley — say her name.”
As boos were heard from the floor, Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, gestured to Greene as Biden reached below his dais and presented a button bearing Riley’s name:
‘COLD-HEART’ BIDEN TO BLAME FOR GA STUDENT’S DEATH, TEXAS OFFICIAL SAYS
“Lincoln — Lincoln Riley,” Biden appeared to say. “An innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal. That’s right, but how many of the thousands of people being killed by legals — to her parents?”
Biden added that his heart goes out to her parents as he also lost his son, Beau, several years ago.
Moments after the apparent gaffe, X — formerly Twitter — lit up with criticism, including from OutKick founder Clay Travis, who decried Biden for the mix-up.
“Joe Biden just confused Laken Riley, a college student killed by an illegal immigrant, with USC football coach Lincoln Riley. This just happened. The man’s brain is mush. Incredibly disrespectful,” Travis said.
Media Research Center also caught the mistake, saying that Biden finally said Laken Riley’s name:
“Well kinda he actually says ‘Lincoln Riley,’” the outlet’s X feed said.
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Southern California coach Lincoln Riley watches during the second half of the team’s NCAA college football game against UCLA, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Other X users mocked Biden by posting photos of Coach Riley with the caption “Say His Name.”
Actor James Woods, a noted conservative in Hollywood, posted: “‘Lincoln’ Riley? Just appalling.”
The Heritage Foundation’s account commented: “It’s Laken Riley, Mr. President, and she would be alive if it weren’t for your open border policies.”
“Outnumbered” panelist Kayleigh McEnany added she found the moment “completely insensitive.”
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Frequent Fox News guest and former Treasury official Monica Crowley added that Biden’s comment was more insulting than if he had neglected to attempt to invoke Laken Riley at all.
On Fox News’ special coverage of the State of the Union, chief political anchor Bret Baier indicated it indeed sounded like Biden uttered the coach’s name:
“Listen really closely, he says ‘Lincoln Riley’ — who happens to be the USC football head coach.”
“The Five” host Dana Perino added that Biden, however, appeared prepared for potentially being heckled over Laken Riley’s murder, and “got the name a little bit wrong,” but keyed in instead to his succeeding line, the syntax of which sounded a “little bit strange.”
On “Hannity,” House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, also keyed in: “It is Laken Riley, not Lincoln,” he said. “And we should remember that because it’s [Biden’s] policies that led to this tragedy that happened in Georgia to this young lady and what her family is now having to deal with… “
This story was updated to correct an error
OXFORD — The first game of Ole Miss baseball’s home series against Georgia has been postponed.
With rain the forecast for April 24, the decision was made to play a doubleheader on April 25 between the No. 18 Rebels (30-12, 10-8 SEC) and No. 5 Georgia (32-9, 13-5).
The first game will begin at 1 p.m. The second game will begin approximately 50 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Both games will be streamed on SEC Network+.
Tickets and parking for the postponed game on April 24 will be honored for the second game on April 25.
The series has major implications in the SEC. The Bulldogs are in first place in the SEC standings.
Hunter Elliott (4-1, 3.78 ERA) will start for the Rebels in the first game on April 25. He will face Georgia pitcher Joey Volchko (6-2, 3.75 ERA).
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
1. 2x First Team All-ACC (2024,2025)
2. Played in 48 games, including 43 starts at Middle Tennessee (2022-23) and Georgia Tech (2024-25)
3. In 2025, led Georgia Tech offensive line that ranked 21st nationally in rushing yards per game (197.5) and third in fewest sacks allowed per game (0.69)
4. In his 4-year career (2022-25) he recorded 3,019 offensive snaps
5. He became the first Georgia Tech player since Pro Football Hall of Fame WR Calvin Johnson to be named a First Team All-American in consecutive years
At least eight wildfires continued to tear through parts of southern Georgia and northern Florida on Thursday amid severe drought conditions in the region.
As a result, parts of the Southeast are contending with hazardous air quality resulting from the smoke, with the worst conditions reported near Savannah, Georgia, and Columbia, South Carolina.
A major wildfire in Brantley County, Georgia, was approximately 15% contained as of Thursday morning after having burnt roughly 5,000 acres. The fire destroyed 54 structures and had threatened about 1,000 homes a day earlier, officials said.
Nearly 94% of the Southeast region is experiencing severe to exceptional drought, with the most extreme conditions centered in southern Georgia and northern Florida, where most of the wildfires are.
On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor website released a map highlighting the current drought conditions in Florida. The Florida Panhandle is in a D4 Zone, the highest zone, shown in dark red, which historically means rapid groundwater decline. Other portions of the map show that a portion of Florida is in a D3 zone, meaning historically, fire risk is extreme, toxic algae blooms may appear, groundwater levels decline, nesting bird populations increase, and more.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday declared a state of emergency for 91 counties, which amounts to more than half the state.
“With much of Georgia remaining in extreme drought conditions, wildfires have already surpassed the state’s five-year average and continue to spread,” Kemp said.
“The emergency declaration allows the Georgia Department of Defense to mobilize the state’s National Guard troops for response and recovery efforts,” the governor’s office said in the Wednesday release.
State officials have issued a sweeping burn ban — the first in the Georgia Forestry Commission’s history — to prohibit yard debris burning, agricultural burning and prescribed fires for at least 30 days.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved Fire Management Assistance Grant declarations for counties affected in Georgia.
In a Facebook video posted Wednesday, Georgia Forestry Commission director Johnny Sabo said the state is facing “extreme drought conditions” and that the wildfires have already surpassed the state’s five-year average.
“Right now, Georgia Forestry Commission teams are fully mobilized, working alongside local, state, and federal partners to protect lives, property, and Georgia’s forests. This is an all-hands-on-deck effort,” Sabo said. “Air resources, heavy equipment, and firefighters are actively engaged in suppression and protection efforts.”
On Wednesday alone, the Georgia Forestry Commission reported that it had responded to 34 new wildfires that burned approximately 75 acres. That total does not include the Pineland Road Fire, which is estimated to have burned more than 29,600 acres and is 10% contained, or another fire in Brantley County, now estimated at 4,438 acres with 15% containment.
Three key ingredients typically raise the risk of wildfires: vegetation, an ignition source and hot, dry, windy weather.
Studies have shown that rising temperatures due to climate change are fueling longer wildfire seasons, and making blazes both more frequent and more destructive.
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