Members of President Biden’s staff noticed his fading stamina and increasing confusion within the first few months of his term, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. The report, based on interviews with nearly 50 people, including current and former White House staffers and lawmakers, reveals that Biden has been less available to meet with members of Congress and has had few full Cabinet meetings.
According to the report, a national security official said that “he has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day so we’re going to address this tomorrow,” indicating that Biden’s mental acuity is not always consistent.
Democratic lawmakers in Congress reported that Biden was less available to meet with them, with one member saying, “I spoke with Barack Obama on a number of occasions when he was president and I wasn’t even chairman of the committee. I really had no personal contact with this president.”
However, sources familiar with the report said that several Cabinet members, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and EPA Administrator Michael Regan, rejected claims that Biden lacks mental acuity. The White House also pushed back on the report, saying that “President Biden speaks with members of his Cabinet daily” and “staying in close touch with them about implementation of key laws and strengthening our national security.”
Some Cabinet members, such as DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, have spoken publicly about their trust in Biden’s ability to serve. Mayorkas said, “I come fully prepared for my meetings with President Biden, knowing his questions will be detail-oriented, probing, and exacting.”
Despite these denials, the report has raised concerns about Biden’s fitness to continue serving as President.