President Joe Biden appeared momentarily disconcerted following a meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani, on Monday.
During the meeting, Biden briefly touched on the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine before touting his relationship with Sheikh Tamin.
Biden also revealed he intended to designate Qatar, a small Gulf Arab nation with outsized financial and geopolitical influence, as a “major non-NATO ally.”
Biden seemed to grimace in responses to the questions of the media, who had been invited into the Oval Office for the president’s brief remarks following the meeting.
What exactly spurred Biden’s uncomfortable reaction is unclear. Several White House press corps members were all shouting loudly in hopes of getting Biden to answer their questions.
Too many questions pic.twitter.com/D5XHeCWWj2
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) January 31, 2022
It’s likely Biden could’ve expected questions regarding tensions between Russia and Ukraine. More than 8,500 troops have been placed on alert to respond to the situation, and a verbal gaffe from Biden could’ve further complicated a delicate geopolitical situation.
Whatever the reason, Biden clearly couldn’t hide his facial expression as questions begin coming in, and the press corps was herded out of the Oval Office during the exchange.
The awkward moment follows an incident in January in which Biden referred to a Fox News reporter as a “stupid son of a b****,” apparently unaware that his microphone was on following a meeting of a White House council intended to combat inflation.
WARNING: The following video contains explicit language that some viewers may find offensive.
[firefly_embed graphic=”true”]https://youtu.be/xWrhRgkfwHA[/firefly_embed]
Some of Biden’s most embarrassing moments dealing with the media were spurred from moments in which an adversarial reporter asked him a difficult question. Biden has previously melted down when questioned by Peter Doocy, the reporter he slurred with profanity.
The 79-year old president, who has proven notoriously prone to embarrassing “gaffes,” verbal slips and forgetful behavior, entered office as the oldest executive at the start of his first term in American history.
The president speaks directly to the media on exceptionally rare occasions, giving fewer interviews than any of his recent predecessors since assuming office last year.
Biden has a tendency to make bizarre facial expressions, with some speculating about the president’s mental acuity and cognitive awareness following his questionable behavior.
White House handlers have taken to treating the press corps rudely since Biden’s inauguration, frequently shouting and yelling at the media to “get out” after presidential remarks.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
