President Biden addressed an audience of reporters at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Thursday night after concluding NATO’s 75th Anniversary Summit. Here are the main takeaways from the president’s nearly hour-long appearance.
Russia and commitment to defending Ukraine
Biden opened the conference by declaring this year’s summit a “great success,” emphasizing the importance of NATO membership to the United States. The president described the invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago as a “rude awakening,” calling Vladimir Putin a “murderous madman on the march.”
The president stated that he had urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop providing support for the war in Ukraine, but has “no good reason” to talk to the Russian president “unless Putin’s ready to change his behavior.”
Biden said NATO is “essential to American security,” and that Donald Trump has “made it clear he has no commitment” to the alliance.
Israel-Hamas war
When asked if he wished he had done anything differently in addressing the ongoing emergency in Gaza, Biden said that despite having conversations with Egyptian and Jordanian leaders about ways to increase aid to Gaza, Israel was “occasionally less than cooperative.” He also said that he is “disappointed” that some of his efforts, such as encouraging Arab nations to support his “process for a two-state solution” and designating a port in Cyprus for moving supplies to Gaza, have not succeeded.
Biden’s health
In response to widespread public concern about Biden’s health following his performance in the first presidential debate, reporters questioned the president’s ability to potentially serve for another four years. Biden clarified that he does not feel the need to go to bed earlier, yet acknowledged it would be “smarter for me to pace myself a little more.” He contrasted the rigor of his daily schedule with that of Donald Trump, saying that the former president has done “virtually nothing” besides “riding around his golf cart, filling out his scorecard.”
When asked about his strategy to avoid another poor debate performance, Biden asked, “Can you name me somebody who’s got more major pieces of legislation passed in three-and-a-half years?”
Regarding his mental state, Biden said that he has undergone three comprehensive neurological exams, the most recent in February, all confirming he is in “good shape.” He added, “I’m tested every single day about my neurological capacity by decisions I make every day.”
When the president was asked what has changed since 2020 when he described himself as a bridge to a younger generation of Democratic leaders, Biden cited the “gravity of the situation” he inherited from his predecessor Donald Trump, particularly concerning the economy and foreign policy.
Staying in the race
Despite ongoing questions about his health, Biden affirmed his determination to run against Trump. He emphasized his need to “finish this job because there’s so much at stake,” raising his voice while discussing gun control and reproductive rights, asking: “What the hell are we doing?”
Biden concluded the conference by stating he is “the best qualified to govern, and I think I’m the best qualified to win.” He said that recent poll data is not indicative of the campaign’s trajectory, claiming that it “really hasn’t even started,” and highlighted his “overwhelming support” from delegates.
Viral slip-ups
Just over ten minutes into the press conference, Biden mistakenly referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump,” without stopping to correct himself. When asked about Harris’ ability to beat Donald Trump, Biden responded, “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I didn’t think she was not qualified to be president.”
Later, a reporter mentioned the mistake, saying Trump was already using the quote to mock him. Biden replied, “Listen to him.”
This slip-up followed another error before the event, where Biden introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin.”
Both speaking errors made national headlines and the clips quickly spread across social media, with both “President Putin” and “Vice President Harris” becoming trending topics on Twitter before the end of the conference.