President Joe Biden went completely blank when he forgot on the spot who he was talking about.
Just seconds after saying it’s believed that U.S. Journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped while reporting in Syria on August 13, 2012, is alive, Biden didn’t remember who he was talking about.
The ‘senior moment’ came at the end of quick remarks on Sunday where the president praised the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.
Biden was leaving the room when he hesitated and turned around when he heard the question: ‘What does the U.S. know about where Austin Tice might be, and if he’s safe?’
‘We believe he’s alive,’ Biden said. ‘We think we can get him back but we have no direct evidence of that yet.’
‘And Assad has to be held accountable,’ he insisted.
Right after, another reporter asked: ‘Have you directed an operation to go get him, Mr. President?’
‘Get who?’ a very confused Biden replied, even though it was clearly a follow-up about Tice.
Austin Tice,’ they reminded the president.
Looking lost, Biden stumbled over his words.
‘We want him out. We have to identify where he is,’ he assured before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.
Biden, 82, only has just over 40 days left in his single-term presidency until President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated for his second, non consecutive term.
Speculation has swirled for most of Biden’s time in office that he is not fit to serve as president and critics claim his mental fitness has declined with his old age.
