Biden administration officials note endurance issues in president’s first months in office: report
According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, President Biden’s aides have noticed a gradual decline in his physical strength and increasing confusion in his first few months in office.
The Journal’s reporting is based on interviews with nearly 50 people, including current and former White House staff and lawmakers who interacted directly with the president.
One former aide recalled a national security official explaining why a spring 2021 meeting was canceled entirely.
“He has good days and bad days, and today is a bad day, so we’ll figure it out tomorrow,” he recalled the official saying.
Democrats in Congress report Biden’s availability is lower than past presidents. They say he rarely meets with members of Congress and those meetings are usually brief.
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After praising him for withdrawing from his re-election campaign, the mainstream media turned on President Biden after Vice President Kamala Harris’ election loss, saying he didn’t leave sooner. (Associated Press)
“The Biden White House is more segregated than most white houses,” Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., told the Wall Street Journal. “I spoke to Barack Obama multiple times when he was president, and I wasn’t even the chairman of that committee.”
“I really don’t have any personal contact with this president. I have more personal contact with Obama, which is kind of weird because I’m much less senior,” Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. echoed.
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According to the Wall Street Journal, even members of Biden’s own Cabinet soon stopped requesting calls with the president because they found from their interactions with staff that the calls were unwelcome.
A source familiar with the Journal’s reporting said the outlet conducted on-the-record interviews with some Cabinet members who rejected claims that Biden lacked mental acuity. Those Cabinet members include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, among others, sources said. The Wall Street Journal did not include their comments in its report.
President Joe Biden’s age became a central issue in the 2024 campaign before he dropped out. (AP Photo/Mark Schiffelbein)
Biden has held less than half as many full-Cabinet meetings as his recent predecessors. President-elect Trump held 25 such meetings during his first term, former President Obama held 19, but Biden held only 8.
In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, the White House disputed the substance of the Wall Street Journal report, saying Biden’s policy achievements provided “indisputable evidence” of his credentials and leadership.
“President Biden speaks to members of the Cabinet every day and speaks to most members multiple times a week, staying in close contact with them on enforcing critical laws and strengthening our national security. As in every presidential term, Washington is inevitable Some people don’t engage with others as much as the president does.
“Cabinet meetings are an important tradition, but the contemporary work environment means they are likely to be fewer in number and farther between. As scholars of the presidency have emphasized, each Cabinet member—more Not to mention the president – they are busy principals, and there are more people who can speak to the president one-on-one on behalf of the American people, or in smaller settings with officials in relevant positions,” he added.
Fox News Digital reached out to Cabinet officials and their departments to ask whether they believe Biden is fit to serve this week and whether they stand by their past statements of confidence in his ability to remain in office.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement in September that he had “full confidence in President Biden’s ability to carry out his duties.”
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“As I’ve said before, I was fully prepared for my meeting with President Biden because I knew his questions would be detail-oriented, probing, and rigorous. In our interactions, the president always used us Previous conversations and past events to analyze the problem and draw conclusions,” he said.
on Monday, Department of Homeland Security says The Secretary stands by these comments.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he stood by his assertion that Biden was mentally sound throughout his administration. (Anna Chanmemaker/Getty Images)
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo called Biden “one of the most accomplished presidents in American history and will continue to lead our country effectively and in a steady manner.”
“As someone who has been physically present when the president meets with his Cabinet and with foreign leaders, I can tell you that he is a profound and extraordinary leader,” Raimondo said.
A spokesman said this week that Raimondo stood by those comments.
Sabrina Singer, pentagon deputy “As Secretary Austin has said before, he’s seen President Biden make tough national security decisions and seen his commitment to keeping our troops safe — and his commitment to our commander in chief,” the press secretary told Fox in September. Only complete faith.
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This week, Singer said those comments still stood.
