Republican caught agreeing with Biden while his colleagues boo: Senator James Lankford mouths 'that's true' as President rips GOP for sinking border bill

One of the Republican authors of the border bill that Donald Trump successfully pressured the GOP into sinking could be seen mouthing: 'That's true' as President Joe Biden brought up the issue during his fiery State of the Union address. 

At one point in the 68-minute long speech, Biden said: 'In November, my team began serious negotiations with a bipartisan group of senators. The result was a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of border security reforms we've ever seen.'

That comment prompted boos and jeers from Republicans led by MAGA had clad Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. 'Oh, you don't think so? Oh, you don't like that bill, huh? That conservatives got together and said it was a good bill? I'll be darned. That's amazing,' Biden rebutted. 

'That bipartisan bill would hire 1,500 more security agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges to help tackle the backlog of two million cases, 4,300 more asylum officers, and new policies so they can resolve cases in six months instead of six years now. What are you against?,' the commander-in-chief continued.

After those remarks, Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma could be seen saying: 'That's true' while nodding his head. As Biden spoke, Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson could be seen shaking his head in disagreement. 

The camera panned over to Lankford, one of the authors of the bill, as Biden spoke about the bipartisan negotiations to try and fix the border crisis

'That bipartisan bill would hire 1,500 more security agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges to help tackle the backlog of two million cases, 4,300 more asylum officers, and new policies so they can resolve cases in six months,' Biden barked during his address

Republicans were accused of killing the bill because Donald Trump wants to campaign for the presidency on the issue 

At one point in the 68-minute long speech, Biden said: 'In November, my team began serious negotiations with a bipartisan group of senators. The result was a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of border security reforms we've ever seen'

When the bill was killed in February, Lankford told reporters: 'I'm disappointed we didn't get it done. I don't know if I feel betrayed, because the issue is still there. It's not solved.'  

In the end, all but four Republicans voted against moving forward on the legislation — including Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who had delegated Lankford to negotiate the bill combining Ukraine aid and border security and had been closely involved in the negotiations.

A former youth minister in the Baptist church, Lankford, 55, is known as one of the most sincere and well-liked members of the Senate. 

He's a conservative who rarely votes against his party, has long championed stricter measures at the border and has been supportive of former President Donald Trump.

A day after it failed, Biden said of Lankford: 'They really threw that man overboard.' 

On Thursday, Greene, wearing pro-Trump paraphernalia, continued to shout at Biden, the president held up a white button that the Georgia Republican had handed him earlier bearing the name of the slain Laken Riley. 

Authorities say the Georgia nursing student was killed by a Venezuelan national who unlawfully crossed into the U.S. in September 2022.

'Laken Riley,' Biden said, apparently mispronouncing her name as 'Lincoln,' calling her an 'innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal.' He expressed condolences to her family, saying his heart goes out to them.

When they heckled his support for bipartisan border security legislation, Biden said, 'Look at the facts, I know you know how to read.'