We need to talk about Joe Biden.
The White House has been trying to hide this for months, but here in Italy it’s clear that the aging leader of the free world is not on the right track.
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The annual G7 meeting achieved more than warm words for the first time, but the unprecedented seizure of $50 billion (£39 billion) of Russian assets to help Ukraine will not be the reason Puglia 24 will be remembered.
“It’s the worst he’s ever been,” a seasoned diplomatic source whispered to me yesterday, and the whole world can see that now.
Questions about the lucidity of the most powerful man in the world have been arising for years, but in the run-up to the US elections they exploded.
On the sidelines of the summit, silent discussions take place about Biden, 81, and his worrying lack of mental clarity.
Another source told me that although the President had at times demonstrated insight during meetings, he also seemed to demonstrate a disturbing loss of “focus” and concentration.
The game is over
But it was the moment that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni put on a parachuting display for her fellow world leaders at the Lux Owned by Borgo Egnazia that the penny has finally dropped. . .
Has the Commander-in-Chief gone crazy?
This jewel of olive groves on the Adriatic coast, situated at the heel of Italy, used to be most famous for Justin Timberlake’s 2012 wedding.
Now it could go down in history as the place where the West realized the game was up for Sleepy Joe.
Meloni’s photographic display of unity and military prowess was quickly overshadowed when Biden decided to turn his back on the G7 group as they applauded each paratrooper displaying a national flag.
He was smiling for a few seconds before deciding to move away from the powerful pack.
After taking several small, flexible steps he started talking to someone and gave a thumbs up.
The other leaders watched the president with perplexed looks.
Emmanuel Macron, Rishi Sunak and Giorgia Meloni glanced in his direction before looking at each other with knowing looks.
Meloni’s quick thought went straight to the president before yanking Biden’s arm.
At this point, the President was facing in the complete opposite direction, with his back to everyone else, clearly not paying attention. the script.
As if helping a confused elderly relative, Meloni gently led Biden back toward the photographers, while all the other G7 leaders made an obvious move to surround the confused-looking Joe.
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While everyone smiled and looked at the cameras, Biden then decided to slowly put on his sunglasses.
The White House quickly went into full spin mode, trying to say that a viral video of the moment had been edited.
But they know the truth and had to prevent their boss from walking alone, flanking him with advisors to try to disguise his physical fragility.
Biden’s cheeky press secretary, Andrew Bates, claimed his boss was simply congratulating a diver who was collecting his things.
He blamed the “desperate” media for using “an artificially narrow frame” to make Biden look bad.
While we may all look on in horror, what is Putin thinking? Or China’s Xi?
Harry Cole
When questioned, Rishi Sunak tried to put on a brave face yesterday morning, repeating the line that the president was just “being very polite” by thanking the jumpers.
The PM stated that his main ally “simply went to talk to all of them individually”.
He told me, “As far as I know, he went to talk to some of the paratroopers and say thank you or hello to them.”
But the video, from whatever angle you watch it, tells a different story.
And people have eyes and their own minds to decide.
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More gaffes
Why it takes the President so long to put on his signature Ray-Ban Aviators is another unanswered question, as is why he didn’t show up for dinner with the group later that night.
Or why he appeared to smell or kiss the Italian prime minister’s hair. . . But I disagree.
When texting delegations from some other countries as the summit ended yesterday, the word that came up more than once in response was simply “embarrassing”.
But it’s more worrying than that. Can anyone watching Biden at this summit really imagine him lasting another four years as president?
Or even get through this fall’s presidential election race no more gaffes?
And while we may all look on in horror, what is Putin thinking? Or China’s Xi?
It’s not too late for Democrats to replace Biden with another candidate – their convention in August could find a solution.
It’s time to stop the fuss and bluster and have an honest discussion: Is this man fit to lead the world?
Answers on a postcard, from Italy. . .
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
