He is done.
On Monday, President Biden was briefly spotted walking from Marine One to the Oval Office, but he did not address questions from reporters. Since then, the 81-year-old president has not appeared in public.
The president’s visibility has decreased since he withdrew from the 2024 race, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the ticket. This comes as the administration is preparing for a potential Iranian attack on Israel.
Fox News correspondent David Spunt inquired about the lack of direct communication from the president this week. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded by pointing out that the administration had released two updates that day. When asked if the president would make a public appearance that week, Jean-Pierre noted, “We are in a different time. It is certainly the president’s priority to ensure national security. You will see the president, that I can assure you.”
Jean-Pierre emphasized that Biden’s current focus is on de-escalating tensions. The two updates mentioned included information on Biden’s discussions with leaders from Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt. She added, “The president has been concentrating on a cease-fire deal, and we are closely monitoring the situation.”
In other news, Biden declared states of emergency in Florida and South Carolina due to Tropical Storm Debby. Additionally, U.S. personnel were injured in a rocket attack on a military base in Iraq.
Top U.S. national security officials have urged calm in the Middle East, emphasizing the need to prevent further escalation. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after a meeting with Australian leaders, stressed the importance of avoiding miscalculations and calming tensions. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin condemned the recent attack on U.S. forces in Iraq by an Iranian-backed militia, stating that the U.S. will not tolerate such attacks and is prepared to respond swiftly to threats.
Despite economic challenges, Biden had recently claimed to have “cured the economy,” just days before global stock markets fell sharply.
On Tuesday, the Justice Department revealed that Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran, was charged in connection with a plot to conduct political assassinations in the U.S., potentially targeting former President Trump. Jean-Pierre confirmed that, according to the ongoing DOJ investigation, there is no evidence linking Merchant to the July 13 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
