On March 1 (local time), Joe Biden, President of the United States, appeared to have confused Ukrainian people with Iranian people during his State of the Union speech. He said, “Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he’ll never gain the hearts and souls of the Iranian people.” White House website specifically mentioned the transcript of the speech ‘As Prepared for Delivery’ where ‘Ukrainian’ was mentioned instead of ‘Iranian’.
BIDEN: “Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he’ll never gain the hearts and souls of the ‘Iranian’ people.” #SOTU pic.twitter.com/dIqQMBMjc8
— Newsmax (@newsmax) March 2, 2022
Daniel Chaitin, Deputy News Editor, Washington Examiner, also pointed out the fact that after the gaffe made by the President, the White House used ‘Prepared for delivery’ instead of ‘as delivered’ with the transcript of the speech.
After Biden talks of standing with the “Iranian people” during the #StateOfTheUnion, the White House sends this out (adding “prepared for delivery” instead of “as delivered)”:
— Daniel Chaitin (@danielchaitin7) March 2, 2022
“CORRECTED TITLE: Remarks of President Joe Biden – State of the Union Address as Prepared for Delivery”
The video of the blunder made by the US President has gone viral on social media and is being widely shared. Thomas Massie, the Republican Congressman, wrote several phrases in a tweet thread that had confused the audience during Biden’s speech. He asked, “Does anyone speak Biden? Can you translate these?”
A pound of Ukrainian people…
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 2, 2022
Redeace 60 million barrels…
Putin’s wear in Ukraine…
Never gain the heart and souls of the Iranian people…
Some Twitter users shared videos highlighting VP Kamala Harris muttering ‘Ukrainian’ when Biden mistakenly said ‘Iranian’.
Kamala appears to mouth “Ukrainian” when Joe Biden said Iranian. She was trying to help him.#StateOfTheUnion
— Vanessa Vallejo (@vanessavallej0) March 2, 2022
pic.twitter.com/OksiYwyuVk
It is noteworthy President’s “mental sharpness” and overall health has raised several questions in the past. According to a recent poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News, 54 per cent of Americans think President Biden does not have the “mental sharpness it takes to serve effectively as president”. The poll suggested 59 per cent of Americans do not see Biden as a strong leader.
The US President has made multiple errors in the past that has put his health in question. So much so, in December 2018, he had called himself a “gaffe machine”.
“I am a gaffe machine,” former Vice President Joe Biden says, “but my God, what a wonderful thing compared to a guy who can’t tell the truth” https://t.co/KSYC4ZNBBM pic.twitter.com/1UWU5noOVW
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) December 4, 2018
In August 2021, he confused facts about his late son during an interview and claimed Beau had served in the Navy in Afghanistan. In October 2021, there were rumours floating in Rome that US President Joe Biden had a “bathroom accident” during his meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. In February 2021, he casually dropped N-word during Munich Security Conference.
