‘My predecessor’, hecklers, and lots of fire: key takeaways from Biden’s state of the union address

Joe Biden made a forceful State of the Union address on Thursday, criticising former president Donald Trump over the January 6 insurrection, vowing to stand up to Vladimir Putin, urging Israel to play its part in the delivery of aid to Gaza, backing reproductive freedom and taking on rightwing antagonist Marjorie Taylor Greene on immigration.

Here are some key takeaways from the speech.

Biden opened the speech with fiery denunciations of the rioters who stormed the Capitol on 6 January 2021, then singled out Republicans in the chamber and Trump. But he refused to utter Trump’s name, saying that “my predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about Jan 6.”

He wrapped that into a larger theme that democracy is threatened like no time since the civil war, signalling a clear line of attack he will use against Trump.

He also criticised “my predecessor” for his assertion that Russian president Vladimir Putin could “do whatever the hell he wants” with respect to Nato allies. “I think it’s outrageous, it’s dangerous and it’s unacceptable,” Biden said. “My message to President Putin, who I’ve known for a long time, is simple: we will not walk away. I will not bow down.”

Speaking with a vigour that his supporters have said has been lacking, he set up a contrast between his internationalist view of the world and the more isolationist leanings of Donald Trump.

One of the most striking moments of the night took place when Biden addressed the topic of immigration – which polls show is a major weakness for the president going into the election against Trump.

As he spoke, the president was heckled by far-right Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. She demanded he say the name of Laken Riley, who is suspected to have been