"Bob, I gotta talk to you about Cuba," Biden said to the senator.
The moment was caught on C-SPAN cameras as Biden spoke with Menendez and Rep. Adam Schiff, who House Speaker Kevin McCarthy blocked from joining the House Intelligence Committee.
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President Biden takes photographs with members of Congress after speaking during a State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Menendez is heard replying, "Okay."
The lawmaker seemed confused by the president’s comment.
"I’m serious," added Biden.
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Menendez, the son of two Cuban migrants, has spent much of his time working in the House of Representatives and later the U.S. Senate on immigration and national security issues.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on January 26, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Rep.-elect Robert Menendez Jr., D-N.J., and his father Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., on the House floor of the U.S. Capitol, on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
He is also credited with helping push through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, which went into effect under former President Barack Obama.
Menendez is currently prioritizing his efforts on "competing with China, confronting the global pandemic, and restoring the United States’ place as a leader around the globe," according to his official government website.
President Biden exits after delivering the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
President Biden, center, speaks during a State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. (Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
President Biden addressed competition with China during Tuesday evening’s address, saying he welcomed competition but would act swiftly to push back on any action that threatens U.S. sovereignty.
"But make no mistake about it: as we made clear last week, if China’s threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did," said Biden, referencing the Chinese spy balloon that was shot down by the U.S. military last week.