Biden Loses It Overseas, Gets Angry with Reporter and Makes Bizarre Comment About Her Going Home
President Joe Biden lost his cool with a reporter on Thursday.
Iida Tikka, who works for Finland’s public broadcaster YLE, sparked the reaction after asking Biden about America’s future commitment to NATO.
“What actions will you take to assure Finland that the U.S. will remain a reliable NATO partner for decades to come?” she asked.
“I absolutely guarantee it,” Biden responded, citing “overwhelming support” for NATO in Congress.
“No one can guarantee the future, but this is the best bet anyone could make,” Biden added.
“Hearing this answer, that no one can guarantee a future, are you worried that the political instability in [the] U.S. will cause issues in the alliance in the future?” Tikka followed up.
“Let me be clear,” Biden continued, “I didn’t say we didn’t guarantee — we couldn’t guarantee the future.” And then in a woefully poor choice of words, the president sounded like he might be setting up a hit, saying, “You can’t tell me whether you’re gonna be able to go home tonight. No one can be sure what they’re gonna do.”
“I’m saying, as sure as anything could possibly be said about American foreign policy, we will stay connected to NATO.”
The joint press conference had already got off to an awkward start after Biden mistakenly referred to Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir as a “daughter of Ireland.”
“Daughter of Ireland?” he then said. “You can tell that’s a Freudian slip, I’m thinking of home.”
Despite playing up his links to Ireland, Biden’s Irish ancestors immigrated to the U.S. back in 1850, almost a century before Biden was born.
In another exchange on Wednesday, Biden appeared to snap at a reporter who asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when he would like the country to join NATO.
“An hour and 20 minutes,” Biden said sarcastically. “You guys ask really insightful questions.”
Q: “President Zelenskyy, how soon after the war would you like to join NATO?”
Biden: “An hour and 20 minutes. You guys ask really insightful questions.” pic.twitter.com/BXS3ePoJAA
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 12, 2023
This was far from the only testy exchange that Biden, who is notorious for making gaffes and inappropriate remarks, has experienced during his trip to Europe.
On Wednesday, he referred to Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “Vladimir,” a particularly ironic remark given Russian President Vladimir Putin responsibility for the conflict in Ukraine.
Footage has also emerged of Biden stumbling as he attempted to board Air Force One, a sign that his mobility may be declining.
Biden stumbles a bit as he boards Air Force One — using the smaller stairs — en route to the United States. He took no questions. pic.twitter.com/UxCA75kdQP
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 13, 2023
Friday’s press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö wrapped up Biden’s trip to Europe.
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