Joe Biden’s prolonged periods of quiet during Friday’s news conference drew the attention of both reporters and viewers. The President seemed buried in contemplation, unwilling to answer the reporters’ pressing queries.
A frustrating minute-long silence ensued for no apparent reason, leaving the press corps bewildered.
WATCH:
Biden stares off into space as staff yell at reporters to leave pic.twitter.com/U9TssXZBUo
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) May 12, 2023
Biden’s critics have long contended that his failure to respond quickly to questions casts doubt on his mental health and capacity to properly carry out the obligations of the president.
As concerns grew about the present administration’s openness and ability to communicate, questions about the economy, foreign policy, and domestic crises went unaddressed.
This worrying event followed a string of others in which Biden appeared distant or uninterested in public settings, raising questions about his mental health.
Biden’s relative quiet is striking in comparison to the fiery and outspoken personalities of his predecessors, such as Trump.
Biden has held the fewest press conferences of any American president in history.
