US allies no longer tolerating Biden slip-ups, want him to step aside
5 Min Read
There is concern about Biden's performance at the NATO summit he is scheduled to host in the US next week when his every move, gesture, and word will be evaluated in a harsh light.
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US President Joe Biden during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 3, 2024. (AFP)
US President Joe Biden's abysmal performance in a presidential debate with former president Donald Trump has been extremely difficult to ignore for his foreign allies, Bloomberg reported.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who supports a Democrat in the White House and is hosting the next G-20 conference, is speaking the silent bit aloud.
Speaking to a local radio station, Lula said, "I think Biden has a problem."
“He’s moving more slowly, he is taking longer to answer questions. The US elections are very important for all the world.”
Biden's foreign allies who previously excused his gaffes did so for fear that Trump would reclaim power, Bloomberg noted. Now, even Ukrainian officials want him to step aside to allow the chance for someone to defeat Trump and preserve alliance unity between Ukraine and NATO, according to sources familiar with the subject.
There is concern about Biden's performance at the NATO summit he is scheduled to host in the US next week when his every move, gesture, and word will be evaluated in a harsh light.
One G7 official who has seen Biden up close described him as a free cannon in an unscripted scenario without the use of a teleprompter.
Those who spoke to Bloomberg cited that his debate performance only confirmed what they had seen previously at the G7 summit in Italy, where Biden strayed from a group, and in France, where he attempted to find a seat despite the French leader and their wives standing.
According to the source, some also feel resentment at the close-knit crowd that obscured Biden's condition, citing it was no longer possible to hide the truth: Biden is a shell of his former self and unable to rule or establish policies.
Less than 2 weeks before his disastrous debate performance, one official told Bloomberg that there was a sense of concern at the G7 summit in Italy regarding his condition. Biden later attributed his poor performance to jet lag and a hectic travel schedule.
On Thursday, he left many flabbergasted on Philadelphia's WURD radio station where he called himself a black woman, mistaking himself for Vice President Kamala Harris and confusing his current political position with being former President Barack Obama's vice president, following a series of gaffes that have been recurring since last week's presidential debate.
Read more: Disney heir halts donations unless Biden steps down
A senior European official described Biden's performance in the debate on June 27 as the conclusion of a prophesied film that few people wanted to witness, adding that Trump now has a clear path - and even if Democrats find a successor, it would be too late.
One senior NATO diplomat told Bloomberg that US counterparts have acknowledged that they cannot afford such moments from the president, and their priority is to ensure that the summit is not overshadowed by the spotlight on Biden — rather than the issues many of them want to address, such as the war in Ukraine.
Ivo Daalder, the former US ambassador to NATO, cited a moment in last week's discussion that went mostly unnoticed at home but surprised US allies: When Biden asked Trump if he would protect a NATO country against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump shrugged.
In an interview, Daalder expressed that was not a “comforting answer for countries who have, for 75 years, depended on America’s security commitment to their defense, as core their security."
Trump calls Joe Biden 'broken down', claims Biden quit the race
A video leaked by The Daily Beast on Wednesday shows Donald Trump calling Joe Biden "a broken-down pile of crap," claiming he is close to "quitting the race."
The 78-year-old former President is seen in the video riding in a golf cart with his son Barron by his side and clutching a large sum of money while providing his take on the 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump talks to someone off-camera, "How did I do with the debate the other night?" and then says that Biden "he just quit, you know – he’s quitting the race... I got him out of the – and that means we have Kamala."
He believes "she’s [Kamala Harris] gonna be better" but still, he added, "She’s so bad. She’s so pathetic."
A video obtained by The Daily Beast shows presidential hopeful Donald Trump calling US President Joe Biden an “old, broken-down pile of crap” who is on the verge of pulling out of the November elections. The video, filmed while Trump sits in a golf cart with his son Barron, has… pic.twitter.com/a8eqtpWvKt
— CYNN (@CYNN_Official) July 4, 2024
Biden recently told Democratic officials that he needs more sleep and fewer work hours, as reported by The New York Times, adding that the 81-year-old requested that no activities be scheduled for past 8 pm.
The NYT considered Biden's statements to be an explicit admission of his exhaustion during a meeting aimed at reassuring over 20 of his staunch supporters that he is capable of leading.
