- White House aides reportedly knew of President Joe Biden's declining mental fitness since the beginning of his presidency.
- Staffers managed Biden's schedule, limited interactions and controlled public appearances to hide his cognitive decline, with adjustments made for his "good days and bad days."
- Biden's interactions remained limited even after the pandemic, with even cabinet members having infrequent meetings with him.
- During his 2024 campaign, staffers choreographed Biden's appearances and withheld critical information to prevent stress or confusion, but his debate performance raised further concerns.
- Despite denials from the Biden administration, persistent concerns about his mental fitness led to his decision to abandon his reelection bid in July 2024.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that most aides to outgoing President Joe Biden knew of his declining mental and physical fitness from the very beginning of his presidency.
The Wall Street Journal report, based on interviews with nearly 50 individuals familiar with White House operations, went into detail how staffers and advisers adjusted Biden's schedule, limited his interactions and carefully managed his public appearances to prevent the public from perceiving the true extent of the decline in his cognitive abilities.
Concerns about Biden's mental state emerged as early as the spring of 2021, just months after he took office. A national security official reportedly rescheduled a meeting, stating that Biden was having a "bad day." Staffers noted that the president experienced "good days and bad days," leading to adjustments in his schedule to accommodate his energy levels and cognitive clarity.
The Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic further provided White House staffers with the perfect cover to isolate Biden, with aides limiting his in-person interactions to reduce the risk of infection.
This isolation persisted even after the pandemic, with Biden's inner circle remaining small and interactions with cabinet members becoming increasingly rare. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reportedly had very infrequent access to the president.
One cabinet member claimed to have met Biden only twice in his first year in office, while another stopped requesting calls, believing such requests were unwelcome.
Meetings with Biden were often scheduled later in the day, as staffers believed he was not "at his best" in the mornings. If Biden was having an "off day," meetings were canceled altogether.
During his term, Biden held just nine full cabinet meetings, compared to the 25 held by President-elect Donald Trump and 19 by former President Barack Obama during their first terms. (Related: Biden cognitively engaged for only a couple hours each day, aides confirm.)
Staffers intensely choreographed Biden's appearances during 2024 campaign
During his short-lived 2024 presidential campaign, Biden's public appearances were managed with increased scrutiny. Staffers provided him with basic instructions, such as where to enter or exit the stage, and adjusted his schedule to avoid situations where he might appear fatigued or confused.
White House and campaign staffers aware of the plot to control Biden's public appearances also used their access to the president to withhold critical information from him, including opinion polling, to avoid potential stress or confusion that could exacerbate his condition.
Biden's performance in the June 27 presidential debate with Trump drew significant criticism. During the debate, Biden appeared forgetful and spoke in rambling fragments, leading to heightened scrutiny of his mental fitness. Despite repeated denials from the Biden administration, concerns persisted, culminating in Biden's decision to abandon his re-election bid in July 2024.
White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates has denied claims of Biden's decline, stating that the president "earned the most accomplished record of any modern commander in chief" and that his administration's focus on policy details has benefited millions of lives. Bates also argued that it is the responsibility of senior White House staff to manage high-level meetings and that Biden engages with cabinet members and other officials regularly.
Watch this opinion piece from Sky News Australia discussing how Biden's cognitive decline gaslit the nation.
This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.
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