Biden Freezes, Slurs Speech During Juneteenth Celebration; Sparks Cognitive Decline Concerns
President Joe Biden sparked fresh concern over his cognitive health after appearing to freeze and slur his speech during a Juneteenth celebration at the White House on Monday.
Biden, 81, led the early celebration for the June 19 holiday, which marks the announcement of the end of slavery in Texas in 1865, a significant step toward the abolition of slavery in the United States.
In videos circulating online, the president appeared to momentarily freeze as the crowd around him danced and sang to a performance on stage. Grooving beside him were Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd.
The U.S. Commander-in-Chief further fueled ongoing debates about his fitness for office after delivering a garbled message at the celebration.
The president's speech contained several noticeable slurs and at some point became incomprehensible.
"She know loss...She knows (incoherent) our freedom can never be secured," he was heard saying in front of the crowd.
Social media users noted how Biden looked disoriented throughout the event, adding to a series of public appearances where his actions have raised questions about his mental acuity.
In a Wall Street Journal piece published last week, the former vice president was reported to have shown signs of poor cognitive performance during closed-door meetings. However, even during public appearances, his age seemed to be evident.
During a campaign speech in Detroit in May, Biden mistakenly claimed he was serving as vice president during the COVID-19 pandemic. The health crisis didn't happen until three years after he left office.
At a fundraiser in January, he claimed to have spoken with former French President François Mitterrand at the 2021 G-7 Summit. The former head of state died in 1996.
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Despite all this, White House physicians have insisted Biden is still fit to serve and that his recent check-up showed no cognitive decline.
"The president remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions and accommodations," Biden's health summary report from February 2023 read.
Amid the criticism, Biden continues his campaign for a second term in office. He is scheduled to face Donald Trump in a presidential debate on June 27, airing on CNN.
