President Joe Biden openly challenged the implications of a report concerning his handling of classified documents. The report, authored by Special Counsel Robert Hur, did not suggest pursuing criminal charges but shed light on potential lapses in Biden’s retention of sensitive information.
“I am well-meaning, and I’m an elderly man and I know what the hell I’m doing,” Biden fumed, editing Hur’s description of him as coming across to prospective jurors as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
During an impromptu press conference in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room, President Biden addressed the nation regarding the claims made in Hur’s investigative findings. The President rebuffed the allegations of conscious mishandling of documents, labeling such assertions as misleading and incorrect. Biden responded firmly to the coverage and conclusions drawn since the report’s release, insisting on the inaccuracies of the related headlines.
“My memory is fine,” Biden snapped at one reporter, telling another, “My memory is so bad, I let you speak.” Biden then dodged responsibility for the documents fiasco when pressed by reporters. “I didn’t know how half the boxes got in my garage,” he said, blaming staff for his decades-long streak of sloppy handling of the nation’s secrets.
The report also commented on President Biden’s memory, noting an apparent inconsistency during interviews with investigators about personal timelines, including significant events in his life. The President ardently criticized these remarks during his speech, expressing indignation at the suggestion that he had forgotten the date of his son’s death. Biden deemed the inquiry into such matters private and inappropriate.
Moreover, the President took a stand against Hur’s comment—which was seemingly pre-emptive on the outcome of any potential jury considerations—pertaining to Biden’s mental acuity and the likelihood of leniency due to age. The report alluded that Biden might be viewed as incapable of intentional wrongdoing.
In a momentary gaffe following the discourse on his cognitive abilities, President Biden incorrectly referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the “president of Mexico,” a slip that was promptly corrected.
This news comes as the President considers whether to campaign for re-election and grapples with the possible impact of Hur’s findings on his political future. The White House maintains that any documents retained were inadvertent, and the administration continues to cooperate fully with investigatory processes.
