President Joe Biden had to pause his remarks after a member of the Louisiana State University (LSU) women’s basketball team collapsed behind him Friday.
The room dissolved into chaos after the LSU Tigers player fell down behind the president during his remarks congratulating the basketball team on winning the 2023 NCAA Championship.
“Is she ok?” someone in the audience asked.
Biden stopped his remarks and said, “Folks, it’s ok,” before the White House cut its video feed.
The event resumed minutes later after the player was taken out of the East Room in a wheelchair.
“This is not the first time this has happened. Not to her but to a lot of folks standing up on this stage,” Biden said after the remarks resumed. (RELATED: LSU’s Angel Reese Walks Back Threat To Boycott The Biden White House)
The president, First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to host the University of Connecticut Huskies men’s basketball team later Friday afternoon to celebrate their NCAA Championship win.
The first lady had initially floated the idea of inviting both women’s NCAA basketball finalists to the White House as well, but later walked back her comments after receiving backlash for her attempt.
“We hope LSU will come, but, you know, I’m going to tell Joe I think Iowa should come too, because they played such a good game,” Jill Biden said, the New York Post reported. Runner-ups had never received an invitation to the White House before.