President Joe Biden has raised concerns after reportedly showing signs of cognitive decline in private meetings.
As the November presidential election draws near, both Republicans and some Democrats have expressed alarm about the president’s mental acuity.
Out of forty-five lawmakers and administration officials who discussed Biden’s cognitive state, Republicans were the most critical. Some Democrats noted the president’s age was apparent in several interactions. However, other Democrats did not share these concerns about his conduct in the meetings, according to The Wall Street Journal.
In January, during a meeting with congressional leaders to negotiate additional funding for Ukraine, at least five attendees mentioned that the president sometimes spoke so softly they had difficulty hearing him. Biden also read from notes for obvious points, paused for long periods, and closed his eyes for so long that some people wondered if he had fallen asleep.
In a separate meeting in February, Biden had a one-on-one discussion with House Speaker Mike Johnson. During this meeting, Biden described a recent policy change by his administration, which threatened some major energy projects, as just a study. Johnson was worried that the president had forgotten the details of his own policy.
