(USNewsMag.com) – President Joe Biden had another senior moment recently after introducing King Abdullah II of Jordan to deliver a speech in Washington, D.C.
On Monday, February 12th, Biden welcomed and introduced the King of Jordan at the White House Briefing Room to deliver a speech, after which the president said, “Your majesty, over to you,” and passed the podium off to Abdullah. While the 62-year-old Jordanian King prepared to begin his speech, the 81-year-old Biden was seen shuffling around in the background, looking confused while staring at the ground. He moved from one side of the king and then back to the other side, after which he laughed and patted Abdullah on the shoulder.
Some believe Biden was looking on the ground for a mark placed there to indicate where he was supposed to stand. He wandered from the left side of Abdullah and the podium to the right side and then back again to his original spot on the left before settling there awkwardly with the Jordanian flag behind him. Biden’s confusion seemed to throw off Abdullah temporarily, who looked over his shoulder to the left at one point, expecting to see the president there.
Biden quipped to the king that he “switched sides” on him as he moved back to the left and patted the king on his shoulder, who smiled. The meeting between the two world leaders comes as the Biden administration is working on brokering another temporary pause in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in order to send more humanitarian aid and much-needed supplies to the Gaza Strip, as well as to negotiate the release of hostages still held there by Hamas.
The White House has been facing increased criticism from Arab Americans over the Biden administration’s support for the Jewish state amid rising Palestinian casualties. The war between Israel and Hamas started after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, 2023, killing around 1,200. Since launching its counteroffensive siege on Gaza, Israel has killed at least 28,000 Palestinians.
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