Obama Responds to Jesus Heckler: 'I Believe In God'

U.S. President Barack Obama faced off with a heckler while speaking in Kansas City, Missouri on Wednesday, telling the audience member that he "[believes] in God" and thanked her for her prayer.

During his speech in Kansas City that was broadcast on the White House website, a female audience member began shouting at the president "Jesus is the Lord of Israel."

The president then stopped the speech and asked the woman: "I'm sorry what you hollering about?"

"I believe in God. Thanks for the prayer. Amen. Thank you," Obama added.

The crowd then picked up its volume to drown out the continued cries of the heckler as she was escorted out by security, and later began a chant directed at the president that repeated "we love you."

Several reporters attending the president's speech tweeted about the incident, with the Associated Press' Nedra Pickler writing "Women interupting top of Obama's speech from balcony yelling about God of Israel. Being escorted out."

David Nakamura with The Washington Post added: "Obama in KC to heckler: "I believe in God. Thanks for the prayer."

The president's Kansas City speech was focused on criticizing the inactivity of Congress, with Obama encouraging Republican legislators to "Stop being mad all the time. Stop just hating all the time. Come on."

The president has previously been heckled by audience members during his speeches, including being interrupted during a speech on immigration in Syracuse, New York in August 2013, as well as during a speech in Silicon Valley, California in May 2014.