First solo press conference in months: Can Biden save his presidency?

For the first time since months! Biden gives decisive press conference | politics

US President Joe Biden (81) appears before the assembled American press

On Thursday evening, immediately after the NATO summit, US President Joe Biden ventured out to hold a long-overdue solo press conference. This rare event took place in the capital Washington DC and was broadcast live by leading global news agencies such as BILD.

Expectations and tensions were high because Biden’s Presidency was at stake. After he had made several "mental lapses" during a TV debate with Donald Trump, political pressure was now lurking from all sides, especially from his own ranks.

“Biden could silence critics, or …”

Renowned Hollywood star George Clooney (63) said last month that Biden might be too old to serve a second term - an opinion he expressed after consulting with former President Barack Obama (62). This assumption was shared by a majority of voters who are concerned about Biden's staying power.

Biden’s first question resulted in a blunder: "Your political situation has overshadowed the NATO summit. My question: how are you reacting to the dwindling support? And what do you think about Kamala Harris as a presidential candidate?" asked a journalist. Biden replied confused: "I would not have chosen Vice President Trump as my vice president if I did not believe she had what it takes to be president."

Donald Trump (78) did not miss this mistake. During the press conference, he posted a video clip of the mishap on social media with the sarcastic comment: "Great job, Joe!"

Press conference delayed

Biden's press appearance began an hour late from its original schedule of 12:30 a.m. This delay and his confusing response set the tone for a shaky conference.

Biden had already made another slip-up before the conference when he referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as Putin during an event on the sidelines of the NATO summit. The audience reacted with shock.

Why it is important

No US president has held as few press conferences as Joe Biden in decades. According to the New York Times, the mere decision to hold the press conference shows the enormous pressure Biden is under. Democrats fear a devastating defeat in November if Biden remains in the race.

"How long Biden stays at the podium and how many questions he answers will be another important measure of how his performance is evaluated," the New York Times said. A sudden departure could reinforce doubts about his stamina and ability to handle difficult questions.

Conclusion and outlook

For Joe Biden, everything is at stake. This press conference could be decisive in whether criticism of his presidency is appeased or even more voices are raised calling for his resignation. The coming weeks will show whether Biden can regain trust can or whether his opponents will continue to gain ground.