President Biden Criticizes Investigation Findings and Defends Memory in Press Conference
US President Joe Biden held a surprise news briefing on Thursday evening to address the recent investigation findings that accused him of mishandling top-secret files and struggling to recall key life events. In a passionate defense, Biden vehemently denied the allegations and insisted that his memory is fine.
The investigation, conducted by Department of Justice Special Counsel Robert Hur, revealed that Biden had “wilfully retained and disclosed” classified files related to military and foreign policy in Afghanistan during his tenure as vice-president. The scathing 345-page report also raised concerns about the president’s memory, stating that it had “significant limitations.”
During the five-hour interview with Mr. Hur, Biden struggled to recall important details, such as the time when he served as vice-president (2009-2017) and even the year of his son Beau’s death (2015). These lapses in memory were highlighted in the report, which further fueled speculation about Biden’s mental acuity.
At the news conference, an emotional Biden expressed his frustration with the passages that cast doubt on his recollection of events. He adamantly defended himself, stating, “Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, was none of their damn business. I don’t need anyone to remind me when he [Beau Biden] passed away.”
The investigation also revealed that Biden had shared sensitive material from hand-written notebooks with a ghostwriter for his memoir, a claim that the president vehemently denied. Despite these findings, the report concluded that it would be challenging to convict Biden of improper handling of files due to his potential portrayal as a sympathetic elderly man with a poor memory during a trial.
The president’s age has been a concern for US voters ahead of the upcoming White House election in November. However, Biden reassured reporters that he is the most qualified candidate and claimed, “I am well-meaning. And am elderly. I know what the hell I’m doing. I put this country back on its feet.”
When questioned about taking responsibility for having classified documents in his home, Biden shifted the blame onto his staff, stating that he was unaware they had placed sensitive memos in his garage, next to a dog bed. The atmosphere at the news conference was described as tense, with Biden raising his voice in response to a journalist’s comment about concerns regarding his age.
Biden’s legal team also criticized the special counsel’s remarks about his memory lapses, calling them prejudicial and a common occurrence among witnesses. The top-secret files were discovered at Biden’s house in Wilmington, Delaware, and his former private office from 2022-23.
The investigation drew comparisons to a separate case involving former President Donald Trump, who was charged with mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House. Trump is set to face trial in May. However, the report distinguished between the two cases, noting that Biden had handed over the documents to government archivists, while Trump allegedly refused to do so and obstructed justice.
In response to the investigation, Trump urged the justice department prosecutor to cancel his trial, claiming that dropping litigation against him would help unify the country. Meanwhile, as Biden addressed questions about his age and mental acuity, he inadvertently mixed up Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador with Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi when discussing the Israel-Gaza war.
Despite the controversy surrounding the investigation findings and concerns about his memory, President Biden remains determined to prove his capability and lead the country forward. As the November election approaches, it remains to be seen how these revelations will impact public perception and voter confidence in the president’s abilities.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Hartmann
