Democrat President Joe Biden’s latest opportunity to prove his fitness for office has been widely panned as “another disaster.”
On Thursday evening, Biden held a high-stakes solo press conference that Democrats hoped would prove the president is capable of leading the country.
However, Biden has instead been slammed for a performance that featured the president slurring his words, making confused statements, and stumbling through answers to reporters’ questions about foreign policy and the 2024 presidential race.
“This NATO press conference with Biden is another disaster,” Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce posted on X during the press conference.
“It is inexplicable the people advising this man continue to think that somehow he’s not going to humiliate himself and this country.
“Why do they continue to allow this to happen?”
Biden joined the media Thursday afternoon while wrapping up a NATO summit in the nation’s capital.
During the presser, Biden made a series of gaffes, including confusing his own VP Kamala Harris with President Donald Trump.
WATCH:
HAHAHA holy sh*t Joe Biden just called Kamala Harris "Vice President Trump" pic.twitter.com/T2IzSEGsRn
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 11, 2024
The reaction from Biden's team when he called Kamala "Vice President Trump"
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 12, 2024
ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS 🤣😂💀 pic.twitter.com/WLSFD2vDYp
At one point, he started trailing off while answering a question.
He also announced to the room that his handlers had given him a list of reporters to call on.
“This press conference is a disaster,” civil rights attorney Leo Terrell posted on X during the press conference.
“Joe Biden is not answering the questions.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump added:
“Crooked Joe begins his ‘Big Boy’ Press Conference with, ‘I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, though I think she was not qualified to be president.’ Great job, Joe!”
Conservatives and critics of the president unleashed on Biden’s press conference.
Reporter: “Earlier you referred to vice president Harris as vice president Trump. Right now he is using that to mock your age and memory. How do you deal with that criticism?”
— Alex Rosen (@iFightForKids) July 12, 2024
Biden: “Listen to him”
???????????? pic.twitter.com/Lspw5EFj2Y
Biden’s press conference comes as he faces heightened concerns over his health in the wake of his poor debate performance late last month, which opened floodgates of concern among Democrats that the president’s 81 years of age and slipping mental acuity will hurt the party in November.
Holy SCHLIT!!!
— Steve 🇺🇸 (@SteveLovesAmmo) July 12, 2024
Donald Trump just posted this! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Z80nvZPh4W
Biden has vowed to remain in the race despite rising concerns and calls for him to drop out and let another candidate take on Trump.
“There’s been a lot of speculation: What’s Joe going to do?” Biden said Friday in a speech in Madison, Wisconsin.
“Is he going to stay in the race?
“Is he going to drop out? What’s he going to do?
“Well, here’s my answer: I am running and going to win again.”
As speculation and calls for Biden to drop out, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said earlier this week that Democrats are keeping their thoughts on Biden quiet “until we see how we go this week.”
“Let’s just hold off,” she said on MSNBC.
“Whatever you’re thinking, either tell somebody privately, but you don’t have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week.”
Thursday marks the first time Biden has held a solo press conference since November of last year.