Latest war gaffe heaps more pressure on Biden

President Joe Biden has made another massive gaffe to again bring into question his bid for re-election, just days after being declared ‘fit for duty’.

Joe Biden has again confused the war in the Ukraine with the conflict in Gaza, to provide more ammunition for his growing list of critics who claim he is in mental decline.

President Biden appeared to muddle up the situation in the Middle East with that in eastern Europe in a bilaterial meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgian Meloni on Friday (local time) at the White House.

“Today, I also, we’re going to discuss the Middle East and yesterday’s tragic and alarming event in north Gaza, trying to get humanitarian in there and the loss of life is heartbreaking,” the president said according to Fox News, referring to an alleged incident involving aid delivery on Thursday when dozens were reportedly killed.

Gaffe prone: Joe Biden. Picture: AFP

Biden had previously mentioned passing legislation in support of Ukraine.

The Democrate leader then continued: “People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in a terrible war to feed their families.

“And you saw the response when they tried to get aid. And we need to do more. And the United States will do more in the coming days.

“We’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops of, additional food and supplies into Ukraine and, seek to continue to open up other avenues in the Ukraine, including the possibility of a marine corridor, deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance in addition to expanding deliveries by land.”

Prime Minister Meloni spoke briefly but neither her nor Biden took questions from journalists in the room.

It is yet another gaffe from Biden, who is trailing his likely Presidential rival Donald Trump later this year in most polls. Last month he appeared to get Ukraine confused with NATO and also mixed up the presidents of Mexico and Egypt after attempting to defend himself over claims his memory was fading.

US President Joe Biden meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office of the White House. Picture: AFP

In February, he also wrongly identified Helmet Kohl as the leader of Germany and Francois Mitterand as the current French President. Kohl died in 2017 and Mitterand died in 1996.

TRUMP EXPLODES AFTER BIDEN DECLARED ‘FIT FOR DUTY’

Donald Trump has called for President Joe Biden to take a cognitive test, slamming the Democrat almost certain to be his opponent in November’s US election for his “terrible decisions.”

Mr Trump regularly boasts about his performance on a simple exam meant to detect dementia, sparking ridicule from critics, but multiple missteps by both men have raised concerns over their advanced years and mental acuity.

“Crooked Joe Biden must take a Cognitive Test. Maybe that way we would be able to find out why he makes such terrible decisions,” the 77-year-old posted on Truth Social.

“I took two of them, and ACED them both (no mistakes!). All Presidents, or people wanting to become President, should mandatorily take this test!”

Donald Trump isn’t happy. Picture: Getty

Mr Biden remains “fit for duty” as the nation’s commander-in-chief, his doctor says, although his annual physical exam did not include the cognitive tests his critics have urged him to take.

The 81-year-old visited his doctor for a surprise check-up on Wednesday (local time) in the White House’s latest effort to combat voter concerns that the oldest president in history should not be seeking another four-year term in November’s election.

While Mr Biden was subjected to a battery of tests, his son Hunter came face-to-face with Republicans determined to impeach his father over his foreign business dealings, accusing them of a “baseless and destructive political charade” in a fiery congressional deposition.

In a defiant statement delivered behind closed doors, Hunter Biden denied that his father was ever involved in his business, which he said was an “uncontestable fact that should end the false premise of this inquiry”.

US President Joe Biden with his son Hunter Biden. Picture: AFP

The President’s age and the controversial dealings of his son have loomed as two key weaknesses for Mr Biden ahead of the presidential election in November.

Earlier this month, special counsel Robert Hur – who was investigating Mr Biden’s mishandling of classified documents – declined to prosecute because he said a jury would judge him to be “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”.

But after the President’s annual health review, his doctor Kevin O’Connor described him as “a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male”.

“He continues to be fit for duty and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations,” he said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Dr O’Connor decided Mr Biden did not need a cognitive test.

“Folks need to understand that the President passes a cognitive test every day,” she said.

Hunter Biden arrives at Congress to give evidence. Picture: Getty Images

Mr Biden joked after the exam that his doctors “think I look too young”.

“There is nothing different than last year,” he said.

While the President pushed on with his re-election campaign, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell announced he would step down at the age of 82, saying that “one of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter”.

In his report, Dr O’Connor said Mr Biden had begun wearing a mask to help him overcome sleep apnoea, which was the most notable change in his health over the past year.

He said his stiffened gait was the result of “moderate to severe” degenerative wear and tear of his spine, but that it had not worsened since his previous exam.

While the President was with his doctors, his son faced a long-awaited congressional grilling over his business dealings, particularly in China and Ukraine, with House Oversight Committee chair James Comer calling him the “key witness in our investigation of President Joe Biden”.

US President Joe Biden hugs his son Hunter Biden as they leave The Ivy restaurant in Los Angeles, California.

Mr Comer’s committee had already secured evidence of the elder Biden – prior to his presidential election in 2020 – attending meetings, joining meals and speaking on the phone with his son’s associates.

But Hunter Biden accused them of distorting the truth, doubling down on evidence given by his former colleagues and business partners that his father was not involved in his business.

“Republicans have taken my communications out of context, relied on documents that have been altered, and cherrypicked snippets of financial or other records to misrepresent what really happened,” he told the closed-door hearing.

“Examples of this include a few references to my family in emails or texts that I sent when I was in the darkest days of my addiction,” he added, referencing his destructive drug use and how his father “helped save my life”.

One of the key Republican allegations against the Bidens – that they received a $US10m bribe in exchange for favours to benefit Ukrainian energy company Burisma – recently collapsed when the FBI informant who made the claim was charged with fabricating the story and accused of working with Russian intelligence.

Hunter Biden arrives for a closed-door deposition before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. Picture: AFP

Hunter Biden told the committee that it had “built your entire partisan house of cards on lies”, including those told by the FBI informant and other witnesses who were either fugitives or convicted criminals.

“You have trafficked in innuendo, distortion and sensationalism – all the while ignoring the clear and convincing evidence staring you in the face,” he said.

“You do not have evidence to support the baseless and MAGA-motivated conspiracies about my father because there isn’t any.”

A transcript was expected to be released of the lengthy private hearing before the President’s son could potentially return to Congress to give evidence in public.

Hunter Biden is also set to face a criminal trial this year over charges of failing to pay his taxes and possessing a firearm while using illicit drugs.

Originally published as Latest war gaffe heaps more pressure on Biden