Biden's reaction to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's MAGA garb at SOTU goes viral

President Joe Biden made waves before he even arrived at the lectern to give his State of the Union address Thursday when his reaction to seeing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wearing a "Make American Great Again" hat went viral.

Biden's speech has been considered by many as a kickoff to a general election rematch with former President Donald Trump, though Biden never named Trump explicitly.

Greene's hat with the slogan popularized by Trump was just the first time she put Biden on the spot Thursday. She later shouted out from the audience "Laken Riley," whose accused killer entered the country without authorization, as Biden was talking about border control.

But it was Biden's when he saw Greene in that signature red hat that had social media tickled.

One post on X summed it up by calling it the "best political theater our tax dollars can buy!!!"

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Many on social media applaud Biden for providing a laugh

"Imagine getting cooked like this by the President of the United States, brutal," one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"Even MTG couldn’t keep a straight face at Biden’s perfect reaction to her costume," Tristan Snell wrote on X. "She’s an amateur. He’s a pro."

"This amazing clip of Biden vs MTG proves to me he has all his marbles, all his mental faculties, all his sense of humor – and that he is going to win in November," said Eric Feigl-Ding in a post on X.

Some accuse Marjorie Taylor Greene of breaking House rules

A few posts accuse Greene of breaking the House of Representatives rules on conduct and attire.

The House of Representatives Committee on Ethics forbids using official resources for campaign purposes and includes House buildings, and House rooms and offices as official resources. "Accordingly, as a general rule, they may not be used for the conduct of campaign or political activities," the Committee on Ethics website states.

Greene addressed the controversy over the hat after the State of the Union on the Right Side Broadcasting Network.

"I caught a lot of flak from the Democrats," Greene said, noting that Representatives are not supposed to be political in the chamber before pointing the finger back at Biden and accusing him of making the State of the Union address a campaign speech.

"We're not supposed to wear hats on the House floor, and I said, 'I'll pay the fine.'"

Republicans stoke 'confusion' flames over Biden's reaction

While many took Biden's reaction with a laugh, others praised Greene in the interaction.

"God Bless MTG for this," one user wrote, whose bio said he is an author endorsed by Trump.

An account managed by the Republican National Committee posted the clip saying, "Biden has one mode: confused."

Greene was also wearing a shirt with "Say Her Name Laken Riley" printed on it, foreshadowing her heckling later in the address. In response to Green's interruption, Biden appeared to mispronounce Riley's name.

He also called Riley's accused killer an "illegal," a term that liberals consider outdated and is more commonly used by conservatives.

Contributing: Michael Collins, Joey Garrison; USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden's reaction to MTG at the State of the Union goes viral