President Joe Biden‘s State of the Union address offered a pivotal moment for him to convince voters to give him a second round in the White House.

The State of the Union address, Biden’s third as president, was largely used as a launching pad for the president’s reelection campaign as he prepares to face a rematch against former President Donald Trump in November. In his roughly 68-minute speech, Biden touched on some policy issues that are top voter concerns heading into the general election cycle. 

While Biden engaged in occasionally tense back-and-forths with Republican lawmakers who opposed much of his messaging, the president was also met with quiet rebellion from members of his own party. 

Here are five key takeaways from Biden’s State of the Union: 

Biden goes on offense against Trump — all without saying his name

In many ways, the State of the Union acted as one of Biden’s first campaign speeches of the general election cycle, and the president wasted no time to attack his likely opponent. 

However, Biden refused to mention Trump by name. Instead, the president referred to him only as “my predecessor,” a moniker he used 13 times throughout his remarks. 

Biden invoked the former president as he sought to paint a clear contrast between the pair’s campaign platforms, particularly on issues such as abortion and the economy. 

However, Biden portrayed Trump as a threat to democracy by referring to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, a talking point the president is likely to seize on throughout the 2024 cycle. 

“Jan. 6 and the lies about the 2020 election, and the plots to steal the election, posed the gravest threat to our democracy since the Civil War,” Biden said. “My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth of Jan. 6. I will not do that. This is a moment to speak the truth and bury the lies.”

“And here’s the simplest truth,” he added. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”

Ukraine takes center stage as Biden urges Congress to approve foreign aid

Biden began the night with a nod to the war in Ukraine, repeating his plea for lawmakers to pass a bipartisan bill providing aid to the wartorn country as it continues to fight off an invasion from Russia. 

The president offered a stark warning to lawmakers, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin will only continue his tirade unless the United States and other allies continue to support Ukraine. 

“If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you, he will not,” Biden said. “I say this to Congress: We must stand up to Putin. Send me the bipartisan national security bill. History is watching. If the United States walks away now, it will put Ukraine at risk.”

His remarks were mostly met with bipartisan support as members on both sides of the aisle applauded. However, some Republicans pushed back against his plea for foreign aid. 

“Does Joe know this speech is supposed to be about the State of the Union, not the state of Ukraine?” Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) said in a tweet during the speech. 

Biden places blame on Republicans for lack of border action

The most tense exchanges between Biden and his Republican colleagues occurred as the president addressed the crisis at the southern border, a topic that has frequently been ping-ponged between parties over who is to blame. 

Biden implored lawmakers to pass a border security bill that he could sign into law, admonishing Republicans for rejecting his supplemental request to provide increased funding to the border in exchange for foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel. Biden’s allies have often pointed to that request as evidence of Republicans stonewalling the president’s efforts to address the surge of illegal immigration, accusing the GOP of perpetuating the crisis. 

“This bill would save lives and bring order to the border. It would also give me as President new emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border when the number of migrants at the border is overwhelming,” Biden said. “But unfortunately, politics have derailed it so far.”

Biden fails to say Laken Riley’s name … until he’s pushed against the wall

Biden’s remarks on Republicans’ lack of action on border security were met with groans from Republicans as well as shouts from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). 

Greene publicly challenged Biden to name Laken Riley, the nursing student who was killed on the University of Georgia campus. Riley’s death has become a flashpoint for Republican lawmakers after it was discovered the suspect arrested in her death is a Venezuelan immigrant who was arrested in 2022 on charges of illegally crossing the border but later released into the country.

Riley’s name is not mentioned in Biden’s prepared remarks, something some Republicans predicted would likely be the case heading into the speech. However, Greene interrupted Biden to yell, “Laken Riley, say her name!” 

“Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal. That’s right,” Biden repeated after Greene, mispronouncing Laken’s first name.

Biden then pivoted to apologize to her parents before proceeding with his written speech. 

“To her parents, I say — my heart goes out to you, having lost children myself,” he said. 

Progressive Democrats quietly protest Biden over stance on Israel

While Biden faced the typical heckling from his critics on the Right, the president was also forced to deal with a quiet rebellion brewing from those on his left, underscoring the challenge Biden faces to keep his party unified ahead of the 2024 election. 

Several members of the progressive “Squad” made their disdain with the president clear, particularly related to his stance on the war in Israel. As Biden discussed his efforts to support Israel and to secure a temporary humanitarian ceasefire, Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Cori Bush (D-MO) held up signs protesting Biden’s policy on the war in Gaza. 

“Lasting ceasefire now,” the signs read. 

But there were a handful of more subtle protests by the members of the Squad that occurred during the address. As Biden walked through the House chamber ahead of his speech, he was met with a chant from Democrats yelling, “Four more years!” 

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However, a handful of progressive Democrats notably did not join in. 

The war in Israel has reignited a long-standing debate among Democrats, highlighting the underlying tensions between those who staunchly support Israel and those who are adamant about defending Palestinian rights. The issue has especially taken center stage as a lingering intraparty disagreement Biden must grapple with to keep his party in line ahead of the 2024 elections.