President Biden appeared to momentarily lose his place during a press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday.
The episode came moments before Biden was expected to introduce Prime Minister Modi. But at a certain point, he appeared to lose the narrative, appearing like it was time for questions from reporters. After a pause, an announcer introduced Modi.
“I want to thank you all for being here,” Biden said. “Now, who am I introducing next?”
“Who’s next?” he shouts, leading to several seconds of silence.
An announcer smoothly filled the time by introducing Modi, who proceeded to walk up onto Biden and touch knuckles.
Friday saw President Biden critiqued over his decision to have First Lady Jill Biden sit during a Cabinet meeting, prompting this moment on Saturday.
It also marked the first time he has gathered with his full Cabinet since October 2023 — and Jill Biden joined him to highlight the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research.
“Here and across previous administrations, first ladies have attended these meetings for specific reasons. This is the first time Jill has joined us, and it goes to show how important the issue is, which she is about to speak to,” President Biden said.
Biden, after his short introduction, turned it over by saying, “It’s all you kid.”
Jill Biden made only brief remarks (four-and-a-half minutes) about maternal health initiatives during the meeting; the president had already spoken for two minutes at the start. Hillary Clinton, then the sitting first lady, last made an appearance at her husband’s Cabinet meeting, The New York Post wrote on its website.
The influence of the first lady has been the subject of some speculation, with detractors questioning her sway on the administration.
The New York Post, meanwhile, highlighted that Jill Biden is “regarded by insiders as the most powerful first lady since Edith Wilson ‘who strictly regulated access to her husband, President Woodrow Wilson,’ post-stroke in 1919.”
