ICYMI: President Donald J. Trump Met the Family and Friends of Laken Riley in Rome, Georgia

March 11, 2024

 

Excerpt From President Donald J. Trump's Remarks in Rome, Georgia

 

But one of the lives that was taken from us was an incredible 22-year-old nursing student right here in Georgia, Laken Riley. Look at the signs. Wow. Wow, wow, wow. From the time she was in the first grade, Laken's dream was to spend her life caring for others and I met her beautiful mother and family backstage, sister, friends, some of her friends, her roommate. They said she was like the best she was always the best, she was, they admit that she was the best. And she was the first in her class. She was going to be the best nurse. She was the best nursing student. She was always the best. She was the brightest light in every room they told me and she was the whole world, to her parents and to her sister. Just to the whole family. Incredible. 
 
Then the unthinkable happened. 16 days ago, Laken went out for a morning jog. She was in great shape. She wanted to keep herself that way. And she never came back, never came back. They knew something was wrong. An illegal alien criminal who Joe Biden intentionally released into our country has been, and because he's released tens of thousand of people like this. Tens of thousands. Because you know, they come from jails, and they come from mental institutions. He released them into our country.
 
Biden has implemented a formal policy that illegal aliens who intrude into the United States are granted immunity from deportation. Thus, when this monster showed up, at our border, he was set free immediately under the program that Crooked Joe created. I call it "free to kill." It's "free to kill." On Thursday night, Joe Biden was confronted over this cruel policy. And what did Crooked Joe reply? Marjorie, I have to say you were very brave and trying to bring up a point. Very brave. Very brave, it takes courage. It's not easy to do stand up and do that. That's not easy to do, Marjorie. We understand that. 
 
He got Laken's name wrong. Calling her "Lincoln." No. Mixing her up with the football coach. He got the name wrong. "Lincoln." And when he asked what about all the legal citizens who kill people, that's what he said. "What about all the legals?" When he was asked. "What about all the legal?" In other words, making excuses. Then, just moments ago, I don't know if you heard because you've all been waiting in line for two days. But just moments ago, this was just before coming up. They just told me prior to what I'm doing right now that Joe Biden went on television and apologized for calling Laken's murderer an "illegal." He didn't want to call them illegal, he's apologizing.
 
He said he should have called him an undocumented, not an "illegal" and he wanted to apologize. He wanted to apologize. And well, they have a new name, too. They have a new name that's even worse. They have a new name. You know what the new name is? Neighbor. They want to call them neighbor. They want to call them another name— Did you ever hear the other one? Newcomer. A newcomer to our country.
 
Are we are we going crazy or what, is this country going crazy? How about that one? Newcomer, the newcomer. No, he was illegal. And I say he was an illegal alien. He was an illegal immigrant. He was an illegal migrant, and he shouldn't have been in our country, and he never would have been under the Trump policy.
 
And Biden should be apologizing for apologizing to this killer. Joe Biden and you understand what's happening here. Joe Biden has no remorse. He's got no regret. He's got no empathy, no compassion, and worst of all, he has no intention of stopping the deadly invasion that stole precious Laken's beautiful American life. 
 
We are profoundly honored to be joined today by the family and loved ones of Laken and some of her great friends. I met them, they're so incredible. The whole group is incredible. To Laken's parents, John and Allyson; her sister, Lauren; her roommate, Connolly; and all of those who loved Laken, the hearts of hundreds of thousands and, indeed, millions and millions of Americans and people worldwide, they're shattered alongside of your beautiful hearts. We share your grief. We share your grief. Thank you, darling. Thank you. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. I know how tough it is. It's so tough. 
 
We vow to keep Laken's memory alive for as long as we are here on this Earth and we take comfort that she is now home with God in Heaven. And I want to thank you for being here. Incredible. I know how tough it is. Incredible.
 
What Joe Biden has done on our border is a crime against humanity and the people of this nation, for which he will never be forgiven. That's a very hard thing. We're going to fix it. We're going to fix it fast. We're going to have the largest deportation in history. But what a tremendous shame that this could have happened in our country. What a shame. 
 
Laken Riley would be alive today if Joe Biden had not willfully and maliciously eviscerated the borders of the United States and set loose thousands and thousands of dangerous criminals into our country. To her family tonight: I promise you I will demand justice for Laken. Justice for Laken.
 
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Incredible. I will fight like no one has ever fought before to ensure that what happened to this American daughter, this incredible, incredible American, that this never happens to any other daughter or anyone else ever again. We will do everything we can so that it doesn't happen again.