Foreign outlets pull no punches over Biden ‘confusion’ and ‘rage’ after surprise press conference

President Biden is coming under fire on the world stage after defending his mental clarity in a surprise press conference while confusing the leaders of Mexico and Egypt, international headlines show. 

“Joe Biden’s confusion-in-chief: rage of ‘elderly man with poor memory’ who leads free world,” reads a headline from The Australian. 

Biden held a press conference Thursday evening where he fielded questions from the media regarding his mental clarity, memory, and age following Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents. Amid Biden defending his mental state, he confused Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi as the “president of Mexico,” sparking concern stateside as well as abroad. 

“Biden hits back at memory loss claims in fiery speech before making another glaring gaffe,” The Mirror, a UK outlet, stated. 

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During a series of campaign fundraisers headlined by President Joe Biden in New York City, pro-Palestinian protesters said that Biden was a “danger” for supporting Israel’s war in Gaza. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Hur had carried out a months-long investigation into Biden’s possession of classified documents, ultimately deciding against criminally charging the president. 

“We conclude that no criminal charges are warranted in this matter,” the report, released Thursday, states. “We would reach the same conclusion even if the Department of Justice policy did not foreclose criminal charges against a sitting president.”

The special counsel also described Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” with the president later that day holding a press conference to address concerns surrounding his mental clarity. 

This image from Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation released by the Department of Justice on Thursday, February 8, 2024, shows boxes next to Joe Biden’s desk in his Delaware home office in 2019. (U.S. Department of Justice)

Stateside, conservative lawmkakers and critics lambasted the president for the press conference gaffes, and they expressed concern over him leading the nation. 

Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, asked, “Let me get this straight. Biden is too cognitively impaired to be charged with a crime, but he’s not too cognitively impaired to be the Commander-in-Chief?”

Popular conservative account “End Wokeness” remarked, “The Biden DOJ is not charging Joe Biden, because he is too mentally unwell to be accountable for his crimes. Yes, that is their defense. This is the man with the nuclear codes.”

Internationally, outlets hammered Biden for the press conference and the findings in Hur’s report. 

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“Biden’s attempt to defend his memory backfires with new gaffe after classified documents report,” Canadian outlet the National Post reported. 

Hur’s report found that Biden had a “hazy” memory about when he was previously in office and when his son Beau died, and appeared to become visibly angry during the press conference when asked about his son.

“In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden’s memory was worse,” the report states. “He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended (‘if it was 2013 — when did I stop being Vice President?’), and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began (‘in 2009, am I still Vice President?’).”

President Joe Biden holding a press conference in response to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s description of his age and memory. (Reuters)

“He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died,” the report continued. “And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him. Among other things, he mistakenly said he ‘had a real difference’ of opinion with General Karl Eikenberry, when, in fact, Eikenberry was an ally whom Mr. Biden cited approvingly in his Thanksgiving memo to President Obama.”

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International headlines also reported on the Hur report, citing that the president can’t remember when his son died. 

This image from Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation released by the Department of Justice on Thursday, February 8, 2024, shows contents found inside Joe Biden’s Delaware garage on December 21, 2022. (U.S. Department of Justice)

“Special Counsel Says Biden Is ‘Elderly Man with Poor Memory’, Can’t Recall When His Son Died,” Fars News Agency, an Iranian government news outlet, headlined a piece. 

“Biden’s anger against prosecutor Hur: “Do I have a poor memory? I know what the hell I’m doing.” The case of removal for incapacity under the 25th Amendment,” Italian outlet La Stampa wrote in a headline, which was translated to English. 

“Biden faces serious doubts about his health nine months before presidential election,” French outlet Le Monde headlined a piece. 

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“FORGET IT Joe Biden, 81, dodges trial over keeping secret documents due to ‘poor memory,'” U.K. outlet The Sun wrote. 

Fox News Digital reached out the White House for comment on the international headlines but did not immediately receive a response. 

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.