President Joe Biden once again stirred controversy with his behavior at a recent Medal of Honor ceremony for Vietnam veteran Captain Larry Taylor. Despite the COVID protocols that he has been following since his wife, Jill Biden, tested positive for the virus, the president removed his mask in close proximity to Taylor, who is already 81 years old. This act immediately raised eyebrows and fueled criticism of Biden’s judgment and grasp of protocol.
That time Covidian propagandists were all praising Biden for going back to wearing his mask again but then two minutes later he took it off and walked through a crowd of people without it anyway. pic.twitter.com/C7xQl9ShK6
— Five Times August (@FiveTimesAugust) September 6, 2023
But the confusion and alarm only escalated when, without any prior announcement, the president abruptly left the event, still without a mask and leaving guests and photographers baffled and concerned. Some critics pointed out that in typical East Room ceremonies, attendees are asked to remain seated until the president has exited after the ceremony.
Joe Biden just BOLTED out of the room immediately after awarding the Medal of Honor to Army Captain Larry Taylor.
The ceremony continued on for several minutes afterwards.
Biden completely missed a concluding prayer. pic.twitter.com/BjSdeHcLPD
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 5, 2023
To make matters worse, footage shows that Biden seemed to be in a state of confusion by starting to leave before saluting, then stopping only when he noticed the salute, and finally jetting off. This display of mental confusion only adds fuel to the speculation about the president’s health and fitness for office.
Despite the widespread alarm that this erratic behavior has triggered, the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre waved off criticism of the president, insisting that his exit was “as planned” and intended to minimize exposure to COVID. However, skeptics of this explanation point out that there was no prior announcement or explanation to the attendees and that Biden’s actions seem to contradict established protocols.
Karine Jean-Pierre says that Joe Biden's mysterious and abrupt exit from the Medal of Honor ceremony yesterday was "as planned." pic.twitter.com/cNmdgAFhb1
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 6, 2023
The concerns over Biden’s fitness for office are not new. Throughout his presidential campaign, he faced widespread doubt and criticism over his mental acuity and ability to handle the pressures of the presidency. These worries only intensified when he flubbed his oath of office during his inauguration and has shown a pattern of confusing and rambling statements.
Karine Jean-Pierre doubles down on Biden's strange exit from the Medal of Honor ceremony yesterday:
"That was done on purpose. That was done very purposefully." pic.twitter.com/HBBtW2BkZS
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 6, 2023
While some may brush off these concerns as political posturing or conspiracy theories, the repeated moments of erratic behavior and lapses in judgment certainly raise troubling questions about the president’s fitness for office. As he continues to face scrutiny and criticism, Biden must prove that he is capable of leading the country and handling the demands of the presidency, or else risk further eroding confidence in his abilities.
