President Joe Biden sparked concerns Monday night when he appeared to freeze for the better part of a minute before his speech became slurred past the point of comprehension during a lively Juneteenth celebration at the White House.
During the event ahead of the national holiday next week, the Commander-in-Chief seemed to short-circuit as the rest of the crowd, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, grooved along to the lively band.
Philonise Floyd, brother of the late George Floyd, flanked Biden on his left and eventually noticed the concerning pause he was taking and wrapped his arm around him in an apparent effort to help.
Floyd was able to get a response out of Biden when he extended a ‘pound it’ fist in his direction, which the president met with his own fist.
But Biden would go on to have a further meltdown as he delivered a speech following the musical performance.
Pictured: Joe Biden, Dough Ehmoff, Kamala Harris, Philonise Floyd, Keeta Floyd. Biden sparks concerns as he appears to FREEZE during the Juneteenth celebration concert at the White House alongside a dancing Kamala Harris – before Floyd – brother of the late George Floyd – wraps his arm around him
The president delivered a message about Juneteenth to the audience but suffered another deeply off-putting moment when his speech became slurred beyond comprehension.
‘She knows loss.. she know.. (incoherent) our freedom can never be secured,’ he said.
During a coherent portion of the address, Biden said: ‘The day reminds us that we have a helluva lot more work to do. Let’s keep marching. Let’s keep the faith.’
Ahead of the attempted speech, the aging leader was seen taking a big swig out of a bottle filled with red liquid that looked to possibly be a Gatorade bottle with the wrapper removed.
The president was visible in the front row for most of the evening. He sat through most of the concert, apparently enjoying himself, but staying in his seat while some in the audience stood and danced for two hours.
US Vice President Kamala Harris dances with singer Kirk Franklin during a Juneteenth Concert on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on June 10, 2024 – on a night when the embattled president faltered, the also deeply unpopular VP saw a rare moment in the sun
Philonise Floyd (right) – brother of the late George Floyd – was able to get a response out of Biden when he extended a ‘pound it’ fist in his direction, which the president met with his own fist
The White House welcomed a number of performers for the event, including Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, rapper Doug E. Freshand, and Kirk Franklin.
The evening was hosted by the actor Roy Wood Jr., who heaped praise upon Biden and VP Harris for their work with the black community. He delivered brief African American history lessons between musical offerings over the course of the event.
Read More
Washington DC insiders reveal worrying new details of Biden's cognitive decline
Harris also took a turn at the podium, identifying this year’s Juneteenth holiday as a day of action for voting rights ahead of the all-important November election.
In a moment of seamless levity, Harris returned to the stage later for an unplanned dance with gospel singer Kirk Franklin.
In 2021, Biden signed a law making the 19th day of June a federal holiday commemorating the day in 1865 when the last of the American slaves learned they had been emancipated.
On Monday, Biden warned the black community – 90 percent of whom voted for him in 2020 – that ‘old ghosts’ in new outfits – his Republican competitors – were afoot, working to seize their freedoms and restrict their voting access.
In recent polls, Biden has been struggling to match the historic support Democratic presidential candidates have won from black voters – numbers he will need in order to have a shot at a second term.
A baffled looking President Biden reacts to a performer at the White House’s Juneteenth concert
Comedian and actor Roy Wood Jr. speaks on stage during a Juneteenth concert on the South Lawn of the White House
Last week, The Wall Street Journal published a bombshell report about Biden’s cognitive decline, which has reportedly become readily apparent to dozens of high-ranking officials in recent months.
More than 45 Republican and Democrat lawmakers and staffers offered insight into the touchy subject, citing recent flubs they’ve found concerning.
While the White House maintains the 81-year-old is still performing his duties well, the dozens of DC insiders who spoke to the Journal disagreed – describing a president who today speaks so softly that some struggle to even understand what he’s saying.
Others pointed POTUS’s declining grasp of important policy details, and increasing reliance on notes and impromptu offerings from aides.
President Biden looks to singer and songwriter Charlie Wilson, left, as he stands with Patti LaBelle, Anthony Hamilton, and Raheem DeVaughn, right, during a Juneteenth concert on the South Lawn of the White House on June 10, 2024
Ahead of the attempted speech, the aging leader was seen taking a big swig out of a bottle filled with red liquid that looked to possibly be a Gatorade bottle with the wrapper removed
‘You couldn’t be there and not feel uncomfortable,’ one anonymous source said of a meeting with Biden during critical negotiations over congressional funding for Ukraine aid back in January.
During the meeting, the president reportedly moved so slowly, it took him roughly 10 minutes to greet the nearly two dozen negotiators who’d been summoned.
When the meeting did commence, Biden, the oldest-ever US president, began reading from his notes, making broad points about the need to give money to Ukraine.
This struck several lawmakers as odd, sources said – given that everyone who was there was in agreement about the need to direct additional funding to Ukraine.
The meeting was called as a strategy session to hash out a plan to move a funding package through Congress – though Biden did totally seem to understand that, according to sources inside the room.
While the White House maintains the 81-year-old is still performing his duties well, the dozens of DC insiders who spoke to the WSJ disagreed – describing a president who today speaks so softly that some struggle to even understand what he’s saying
In 2021, Biden signed a law making the 19th day of June a federal holiday commemorating the day in 1865 when the last of the American slaves learned they had been emancipated
Some said they also had trouble hearing the president, as officials in Ukraine beseeched the US – thought of as a competent key ally – for munitions.
Biden, moreover, deferred most of the talks to other lawmakers, several said – to the point where most of the conversation did not include him. When questions were posed straight to him, he would turn to staffers.
In another instance that month, this one not mentioned by the Journal, Biden mixed up the names of two of his Hispanic cabinet secretaries, sparking more speculation about his mental capabilities.
Within weeks, he publicly forgot the names of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny’s widow and a German chancellor who died in 2017, in addition to confusing the leaders of far-flung Egypt and Mexico during a press conference where he was asked specifically about his memory.