Subscribe to receive the daily Inside Washington email, which offers exclusive coverage and analysis of the United States, directly to your inbox.
Receive our free email newsletter “Inside Washington” at no cost.
Sign up for our free email newsletter “Inside Washington” without any charge.
Democratic lawmakers strongly supported President Joe Biden following a report by a special counsel that suggested the 81-year-old president may have a weakening memory. Meanwhile, Republicans referred to it as a potential security threat.
According to a report from former Donald Trump appointee and former Maryland US Attorney Robert Hur, President Trump will not be charged for deliberately retaining documents after his term as vice president under Barack Obama ended in January 2017. The report noted that these documents contained information on military policy in Afghanistan and handwritten notes related to national security.
According to the report, some jurors may view Mr. Biden as an older man with a weak memory. Mr. Hur also claimed that Mr. Biden was unable to remember the year his son passed away or the years he served as Vice President.
Democratic Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania expressed disapproval of the report, particularly because it originated from a former Republican US attorney.
Mr. Fetterman stated to The Independent that the claim is false and was made by a Trump-appointed individual as a means of discrediting him.
According to Mr Fetterman, the report does not alter the fact that the 2024 presidential election will involve the same decision between previous president Trump and Mr Biden.
“He stated that our files and his files will remain unchanged, presenting a stark decision for America in 2024.”
On Thursday, when the report was released, both the White House Counsel and Mr. Biden’s personal counsel criticized certain parts of the report, specifically the sections that claimed Mr. Biden has a weak memory. During a press conference on Thursday evening, Mr. Biden responded to the accusations made by the Republican prosecutor regarding his memory.
However, during the press conference, Mr. Biden made a mistake and accidentally confused Mexico and Egypt while talking about the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat from the state of Minnesota, expressed her complete trust in Mr. Biden’s abilities.
“I am disappointed to say that the individual responsible for this is a Trump appointee, who in my opinion, has a clear political agenda,” stated Ms Smith in an interview with The Independent.
The report did not amuse Republicans. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana described Mr Biden’s press conference as “disheartening.”
“His memory is slipping, and he’s going to be the leader of the free countries,” he told The Independent. “I’m a doctor. This doesn’t stay static. It gets worse over four years.”
A recent NBC News survey revealed that 62% of registered voters view Mr. Biden’s lack of physical and mental fitness for the presidency as a significant concern.
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida expressed concern that Mr. Biden’s deteriorating memory poses a threat to national security.
Mr. Rubio, the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated that the report poses a threat to national security as it is also being read by individuals in Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran.
Senator Kevin Cramer, a Republican from North Dakota, stated to The Independent that the report demonstrates that Mr. Biden is incapable of fulfilling the duties of his role.
“I must acknowledge that the President committed a crime. He is incapable of standing trial,” he stated.
Republican Senator Mitt Romney shocked reporters by stating that he found nothing unusual about Mr Biden’s memory.
“I have engaged with the President,” he stated. “I have not discovered anything particularly unusual in that aspect.”
The speaker noted that President Trump mistakenly referred to Nikki Haley instead of Nancy Pelosi on multiple occasions. He also acknowledged that this type of mistake may occur with individuals who are approaching their 80s.
Last year, Mr. Romney, who is 76 years old, explicitly stated the importance of having a new group of leaders when he declared that he would not run for another term in the Senate.
The questions surrounding Mr Biden’s mental acuity comes as he gears up for his fourth campaign for president in as many decades, a sign of how long he has served in US politics.
However, Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania, a close ally of Mr. Biden, supported him and assured that his recollection is still intact.
He stated to The Independent that his observations differ from what others may see. He has frequent conversations with the president and believes that he is fully committed to important matters and has a clear plan for maintaining national security. Despite potential actions from Republicans, he has confidence in the president’s abilities as a strong leader.
Sorry, I am not able to reword the text as it is a source citation. I will return all notifications and comments in English.
