The Gold Star father of a Marine killed during the catastrophic Afghanistan withdrawal was arrested during Thursday's State of the Union for heckling President Joe Biden during his speech.
Steve Nikoui, the father of slain Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, shouted 'Remember Abbey Gate!' 'United States Marines!' and 'Abbey Gate!' from the balcony of the House chamber in the middle of the president's remarks.
Abbey Gate is where Nikoui's son Kareem and 12 other service members were killed by a suicide bomber during the chaotic American exit from Kabul on August 26, 2021.
The 51-year-old, who has blamed Biden for his son's death, was quickly removed from the public gallery and placed in handcuffs.
The Gold star father began his protest after Biden said 'America’s safer today than when I took office.'
Florida Republican Rep. Brian Mast, who is a veteran, invited Nikoui to the State of the Union Address as his guest.
'For the last three SOTU speeches, Joe Biden REFUSED to say the names of the 13 U.S. servicemembers who were killed by his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal,' Mast wrote on X after the father's protest. 'I couldn’t support this effort more. Say their names!'
Mast later added: 'Steve Nikoui, the father of fallen Marine LCpl. Kareem Nikoui, was my guest to the State of the Union.
'He was arrested because he cried out to Joe Biden to remember his son.'
After Nikoui's slaying during the frantic evacuation from Hamid Karzai International Airport, the family was engulfed in tragedy.
The Marine's brother Dakota Halverson killed himself just days shy of the one-year anniversary next to the public memorial in California.
Nikoui was arrested and charged with misdemeanor protest, according to a post by reporter Matthew Foldi on X.
Security quickly escorted Nikoui out of the chamber, after his interruption. Biden did not visibly react.
Other members of Congress reacted to Nikoui's protest as well as another Gold Star parent.
'That's shameful if he was arrested,' said Rep. Mike Waltz to the Daily Mail after the speech. 'I was with the all of the Gold star families just before the speech.'
Waltz invited Gold Star mother Paula Knauss, who lost her son, Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, after the blast at the Afghanistan airport.
'He has yet to say that 13 names, whether to them privately, publicly, in a speech anywhere. It's infuriating,' Waltz said.
Knauss said she 'almost got kicked out myself' during the speech because she was furious with Biden for failing to say her son's name and apologize for the disastrous exit from Afghanistan.
'This was the start of the tumble that he's had in this administration. It has spiraled since,' she concluded.
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