Gold Star father Steve Nikoui says charges for shouting during Biden SOTU haven’t been dropped
The Gold Star father who was arrested after shouting at President Biden while he was delivering the State of the Union address earlier this month told Fox News on Tuesday that the charges against him have not been dropped.
Steve Nikoui said he was "not very much" surprised that the Biden administration hadn’t intervened on his behalf following the incident on March 7.
"No charges have been dropped," Nikoui told Fox News outside a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the president’s chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
U.S. Capitol Police told Fox News on Tuesday that the charges leveled against Nikoui are being handled by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia — which is under the direct supervision of Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Nikoui, 51, is the father of a U.S. Marine who was killed during that botched withdrawal in 2021.
Nikoui was escorted out of the House Galleries during Biden's State of the Union speech after he stood up and began yelling "Abbey Gate" repeatedly.
The heckling was a reference to an attack at the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan that occurred during the military's withdrawal from the country.
GOLD STAR FATHER STEVE NIKOUI ARRESTED AFTER HECKLING BIDEN AT SOTU ADDRESS
The surprise attack killed 13 U.S. service members and injured at least 170 civilians — including Nikoui's son, Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui.
Nikoui was confronted by security during his outburst, who demanded he stop. He refused and continued shouting.
He was removed from the House Galleries and arrested by Capitol Police on the misdemeanor charge of crowding, obstructing or incommoding.
Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie, Chad Pergram and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.