President Joe Biden skipped a 2022 meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and went to bed early, a person familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.
German officials reportedly planned for Biden to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Group of Seven summit in June, but foreign affairs aides noticed Biden was “tired” in the evenings and arranged the meeting for earlier in the evening, according to the sources. Said The president ultimately did not show up to the meeting, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken attending instead and telling the prime minister and his aides that Biden had gone to sleep, according to the WSJ.
“Secretary Blinken has never made those statements or anything similar,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told The Wall Street Journal. The White House had “indicated early on” that it would not attend the meeting, a U.S. official told the paper, also disputing the notion that Blinken was being used as a surrogate.
A White House official told the outlet that during the June 2022 visit, the president was busy with meetings with world leaders and various phone calls, which led to the trip wrapping up at 10 p.m.
Summit attendees told the Journal that Biden showed no signs of cognitive decline during his working hours, but that the 81-year-old Biden appeared to become less active as the day wore on. U.S. officials told attendees the president's fatigue was due to a lack of air conditioning, the people told the paper. The Journal reported that the State Department disputed the anecdote.
Audience members hold signs urging them to “pass the baton” to President Joe Biden during a campaign rally at Sherman Middle School in Madison, Wisconsin, on July 5, 2024. Biden has faced criticism for being too old and in poor health to serve another term as president. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The Journal's report detailed other moments of Biden's decline over the years and how aides tried to cover them up and shield him from the press. The Journal noted that its reporting was based on conversations with more than 20 former and current administration officials, Democratic lawmakers, major donors and Democratic strategists before and after Biden's debate performances.
About a year ago, the president attended a fundraiser at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York where he gave a 10-minute speech and answered questions, an attendee told the outlet, adding that Biden appeared “vulnerable.”
The WSJ reported that while speaking at the event, the president appeared to forget the word “veteran” and eventually asked the audience for help, noting that Biden told attendees he meant someone who served in the Army or Navy.
“None of this changes the facts of this election or what this campaign will focus on every day: that President Biden is the greatest president in modern history,” Biden campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz told the Journal, criticizing the use of anonymous accounts.
Later in the fall, Biden attended a fundraiser in New York where he experienced another notable moment as a senior, an attendee told the WSJ: While answering a question about the Middle East during a photo op, the president seemed “stumped” and an aide whispered in his ear, after which the president continued to answer, a source told the outlet.
Biden has faced growing questions about his fitness to be president after his disastrous debate performance. Amid criticism from within his own party, the president and his campaign have rushed to calm things down with appearances and events. On Monday, the president appeared on MSNBC's “Morning Joe” and said that if Democrats want him out so badly, they should challenge him at their convention in August. (RELATED: Joe Biden repeatedly denies reality in primetime ABC interview)
“Here’s the deal. [A red wave is] It doesn't happen here This time. The American people Get away from me The average voter. Again, I'm here for two reasons. friend. First, to revive the economy Hardworking middle class people To give everyone a chance Straight shot. Everyone gets a fair chance number one. Second, remember everything This is a story I don't own Pro-black? Come on. forgive me. come with me. clock. “Watch out,” Biden said, signaling his confidence that he will defeat former President Donald Trump in November.
“I The Elites – Not You – The party elites, oh, they I will find out many more things. These people are I think I should run, I'm against it myself. Announces his candidacy for president. C“Condemn me at the convention,” the president added.
