(Headline USA) President Joe Biden appeared to forget which city he was in this week while addressing world leaders in New York City.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. Welcome to Washington,” Biden said as he took the stage at the InterContinental New York Barclay hotel on Wednesday.
The 81-year-old then immediately launched into the rest of his speech, apparently not realizing his mistake.
“Fellow leaders, friends, for 944 days [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has waged his vicious onslaught against Ukraine,” he continued.
The event was timed to coincide with the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, which Biden addressed on Tuesday. That speech was similarly marked by Biden stumbling over his own words, though it didn’t feature any embarrassing factual gaffes.
In his address to the UN assembly, Biden hinted at being forced out of the 2024 race due to concerns over his age and mental acuity.
“Being president has been the honor of my life,” Biden said. “There’s so much more I want to get done. As much as I love the job, I love my country more. I decided, after 50 years of public service, it’s time for a new generation of leadership to take my nation forward.”
Prior to his exit, several world leaders had also raised concerns about Biden’s mental fitness at the annual Group of Seven summit in Italy. Several sources admitted that the other G7 leaders were shocked at how diminished Biden appeared, both mentally and physically.
Despite having more than a week afterward to recover and prepare for his debate against former President Donald Trump, Biden blamed his jetlag for the fiasco. Meanwhile, his handlers faulted themselves for missing a major red flag, and vowed, reportedly, not to let another one slip past.
“Leaders were dismayed by Biden’s performance—they told themselves they should have realized at the G-7 … and came to the conclusion that he cannot win in November,” a source told the Washington Post.
Biden will be in office until Jan. 20, 2025.
