President Biden appeared disoriented and lost track of events during a press conference with India’s Prime Minister on Saturday. The confusion arose as Biden was supposed to introduce Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wilmington, Delaware, but instead seemed to think he was awaiting a question from reporters. After an awkward pause, an announcer stepped in to introduce Modi.
“I want to thank you all for being here,” Biden said. “Now, who am I introducing next?”
“Who’s next?” he then shouted, resulting in several seconds of silence. An announcer eventually introduced Modi, who then approached Biden and shook his hand.
This incident came just a day after Biden faced criticism for allowing First Lady Jill Biden to lead a Cabinet meeting on Friday. It was the first time the president had convened his Cabinet since October 2, 2023, and the First Lady joined to discuss the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research.
Biden explained Jill Biden’s participation, saying, “Here and across previous administrations, first ladies have attended these meetings for specific reasons. This is the first time Jill has joined us, and it goes to show how important the issue is, which she is about to speak to.” He concluded by handing off to his wife, adding, “It’s all yours, kid.”
The New York Post reported that Jill Biden, seated at the head of the Cabinet Room’s board table, “read from a binder about maternal health initiatives for four-and-a-half minutes after her husband spoke for just two minutes at the start of the meeting.”
Traditionally, the president sits at the center of the table, with Cabinet members seated according to the founding of their departments. The last sitting First Lady to attend her husband’s Cabinet meeting appears to be Hillary Clinton.
The First Lady’s influence over President Biden and, by extension, his administration has been a topic of controversy. Many commentators took to social media to criticize her presence at the meeting.
The New York Post described Jill Biden as “considered by insiders to be the most influential First Lady since Edith Wilson, who tightly controlled access to her husband, President Woodrow Wilson, after he suffered a debilitating stroke in October 1919.”
