President Joe Biden appeared to make another significant mental error this week after confusing an American operation to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza with Ukraine. The president’s comments during a meeting with the Italian Prime Minister came amid increased concern about his age and mental acuity since the release of special counsel Robert Hur’s report earlier this year.
During an event with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Biden said that the two leaders discussed issues in the Middle East. The president said that the administration would plan to send humanitarian aid to Gaza. He cited several potential operations that the United States would be involved with.
However, when discussing airdrops of food, Biden said that the United States would provide such drops and “supplies into Ukraine and, seek to continue to open up other avenues in the Ukraine, including the possibility of a marine corridor, deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance in addition to expanding deliveries by land.”
The president continued speaking, saying that the”aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough.” Biden’s remarks were followed by those from Meloni.
Neither Biden nor the Italian prime minister took any questions from the press following the event.
The Biden administration was quick to clarify the comments, stating that Biden did not mean Ukraine, but instead intended to say Gaza.
John Kirby immediately walks back Biden's announcement of air drops "into Ukraine":
"He was referring to Gaza." pic.twitter.com/E6x6j9ealL
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 1, 2024
Special counsel Robert Hur declined to prosecute the president regarding alleged retention of sensitive documents in part due to Biden’s apparent failing memory.
Hur wrote that should the case go to trial, Biden may try to position himself as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
According to the special counsel’s report, the president had difficulty remembering key elements of his life, including when he was vice president and when his son Beau Biden died.
Furthermore, following the release of the report, the president held a press event to defend his ability to remain president. During the event, the president confused the countries of Egypt and Mexico.
