Biden's gun speech interrupted by father of Parkland victim urging him to 'do more'
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
President Biden was interrupted during a speech on Monday afternoon, when the father of a victim of the 2018 Parkland, Fla. mass shooting stood up and urged the president to "do more" to combat gun violence.
The president's planned address was in commemoration of the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, "the first major gun legislation in more than a decade," Politico reports. Among other provisions, the law closes the so-called "boyfriend loophole" and enhances background checks.
As Biden spoke on the White House's South Lawn, Manuel Oliver, father to Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver, shouted, "You have to do more!" He also called on Biden to open some sort of gun control prevention office in the White House, to which Biden replied, "We have one."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Initially, when Oliver first began shouting, Biden told him to "sit down. You'll hear what I have to say." But as the moment continued, and what appeared to be a security official approached Oliver, Biden urged the official to "let him talk. Let him talk."
Oliver was ultimately escorted out of the event.
"This legislation is real progress but more has to be done," Biden then went on. "The provision of this new legislation is going to save lives and it's proof that today's politics we can come together on a bipartisan basis and get important things done. Even on an issue as tough as guns."
Watch the moment below:
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
What to know before filing your own taxes for the first timethe explainer Tackle this financial milestone with confidence
-
The biggest box office flops of the 21st centuryin depth Unnecessary remakes and turgid, expensive CGI-fests highlight this list of these most notorious box-office losers
-
What are the best investments for beginners?The Explainer Stocks and ETFs and bonds, oh my
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
-
US to send 200 troops to Nigeria to train armySpeed Read Trump has accused the West African government of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks
-
Grand jury rejects charging 6 Democrats for ‘orders’ videoSpeed Read The jury refused to indict Democratic lawmakers for a video in which they urged military members to resist illegal orders
