'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:

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"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."

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… "

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital. 

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant. 

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..