In a jaw-dropping moment at the NATO summit, U.S. President Joe Biden mistakenly introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as Russian President Vladimir Putin. This high-profile gaffe, just hours before a critical press conference, has intensified scrutiny of Biden’s mental acuity and raised questions about his fitness for reelection.
🚨 Biden introduces Zelenskyy as Putin: “And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President PUTIN”
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 11, 2024
The 81-year-old quickly corrected himself, with Zelensky quipping that he was “better” than Putin. However, the blunder amplified existing concerns about Biden’s cognitive health, following a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump two weeks ago.
While announcing a NATO-Ukraine compact at the summit in Washington, Biden said, “And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.” Realizing his mistake, he returned to the lectern, exclaiming, “President Putin! He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelensky — I’m so focused on beating Putin we gotta worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.” The error drew gasps, but Zelensky, Ukraine’s wartime leader against Russia’s 2022 invasion, laughed it off.
Leaders at the summit largely supported Biden, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stating, “Slips of the tongue happen, and if you keep a close enough eye on everyone, you will find enough.” French President Emmanuel Macron noted Biden appeared “in charge,” while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Biden “was on good form.”
However, the timing of this verbal slip is particularly unfortunate as Biden is set to give a “big boy” press conference, his first major appearance since the debate. The unscripted encounter with reporters, originally scheduled for 6:30 pm (2230 GMT) but expected to run late, comes amid growing calls from within his Democratic Party for him to step aside.
Growing Pressure
There is increasing pressure from Democrats for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race. Hollywood actor and Democratic supporter George Clooney has called for Biden to exit the race, and party stalwart Nancy Pelosi has not fully backed him. Fourteen Democratic House members and one senator have openly urged Biden to drop out. A poll released Thursday showed that over half of Democrats and two-thirds of Americans believe Biden should end his bid for a second term.
Despite this, Biden and Trump are neck-and-neck at 46 percent each, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey. Biden’s campaign is quietly assessing the viability of Vice President Kamala Harris against Trump, according to The New York Times. Some aides are reportedly discussing ways to persuade Biden to step aside, though the White House has dismissed these reports as “unequivocally” false.
Biden has held fewer news conferences than his predecessors, and recent ones have been limited to interactions with foreign leaders with restricted questions. This, along with a lack of interviews, has led critics to accuse the White House of hiding the effects of Biden’s age. Biden attributed his debate performance to a “bad night” due to a cold and jet lag. However, Clooney argued that Biden showed similar signs at a June fundraiser in Los Angeles.
Biden insists he is committed to running in November, and with primary votes secured, there is no practical way to force him out. His campaign launched a new ad on the last day of the NATO summit portraying Trump as a “lap dog” of Putin. NATO allies seek reassurance about Biden’s leadership amid fears that Trump’s potential return could disrupt the alliance.
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