Biden warns of Trump 'retribution' in SOTU as pro-Gaza protests erupt in DC

President Joe Biden has used his State of the Union address to take a swipe at rival Donald Trump's desire for "revenge and retribution" while touting the US economy's "greatest comeback story" under his own leadership.

Biden's address on Thursday evening — amid demonstrations seeking immediate ceasefire in Gaza — from the Capitol Hill cautioned against "vengeance and retaliation," implicitly referencing Trump.

Biden vowed he will not "bow down" to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and urged the divided Congress to approve stalled military aid to Ukraine.

"Putin of Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond," Biden said. "If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you he will not."

"My predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, 'Do whatever the hell you want…I will not bow down... In a literal sense, history is watching."

"My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy," Biden said in the primetime speech at 9:00 pm EST [0200 GMT].

"Now some other people my age, see a different story," he said in a clear dig at Trump, although without mentioning his name. "An American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That's not me."

Gaza pier announced

In a sign of the multiple challenges facing Biden, protesters against his support for Israel's brutal war on Gaza blocked a possible route for his motorcade to the Capitol shortly before the address.

Dozens of protesters calling for a ceasefire blocked Pennsylvania Avenue, the broad boulevard leading from the White House to the Capitol, an AFP reporter said.

They chanted slogans including "State of the Union is genocide! ".

Biden, meanwhile, announced that the US military will set up a temporary port off Gaza as Israel's tightens chokehold on Gaza, even for its main ally Washington that has been airdropping aid in Gaza but also has reportedly approved 100 military sales to Tel Aviv since October 7.

Biden said Israel's war on Gaza "has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined," acknowledging more than 30,000 Palestinian have been killed including thousands of women and children.

He said the temporary pier on Gaza coast will "enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance" going to Gaza, adding Israel cannot use aid as a "bargaining chip."

'It's time to tell Crooked Joe Biden — you're fired'

Ahead of the speech, Trump accused Biden of "horrific devastation" during his three years so far in office, focusing on the record numbers of migrants crossing the Mexican border.

"It's time to tell Crooked Joe Biden — you're fired," Trump said in a video "prebuttal", using the catchphrase of his former TV reality show "The Apprentice."

The oldest president in US history, Biden narrowly trails in the polls behind Republican former president Trump, who at 77 is just four years younger than him.

With many Americans struggling from high prices, Biden said the US economy that "in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told."

"I inherited an economy that was on the brink. Now our economy is literally the envy of the world. Fifteen million new jobs in just three years — a record. Unemployment at 50-year lows," Biden said.

The State of the Union address, a pivotal event serves as a platform for the president to highlight the achievements of their administration, outline legislative priorities for the upcoming year, and articulate a vision for the nation's future.

With a focus on both domestic and foreign policy, this year's address by Biden offered him a direct channel to communicate with Congress and the American people, setting the agenda for the year ahead.