The American president has been investigated for how he has handled classified documents from his term as vice president.
The documents are said to have been found both in a private office and in his own home.
Former President Donald Trump is also being investigated for the same.
On Thursday, special investigator Robert Hur delivered his report.
He concludes that Joe Biden deliberately shared confidential information as a private person, but that there was no basis for bringing criminal proceedings.
What got the most attention, however, was the part of the report that depicts Biden’s memory.
This summer, Joe Biden tripped and fell during a graduation ceremony at the Air Force Academy.
Photo: Andrew Harnik / AP
American voters are increasingly worried about Biden’s age, according to polls.
If Biden is in office for a second term after the presidential election in the autumn, he will be 82 years old at the start of the new term – and 86 years old when he retires in 2028
Claims of poor memory
Special investigator Hur describes Biden as a “sympathetic well-meaning elderly gentleman with a bad memory”. In the report, several examples were shown where the president’s memory is said to have failed.
One of the sources referred to in the report is shadow secretary Mark Zwonitzer.
He worked closely with Biden while they wrote the books “Promises to Keep” and “Promise Me, Dad”.
According to Zwonitzer, Biden must have struggled to think of important events from his period as vice president for Barack Obama.
Special investigator Robert Hur.
Photo: Steve Ruark/AP
It was also alleged that Biden should have forgotten when his own son died of a brain tumor:
– He does not remember, not even close to when his son Beau died, writes Hur in the report.
The report prompted the president to urgently call a press conference on Friday night. Here he stated that his memory is actually good, and raged against the debts against him, especially about his son’s death:
– How the hell does he dare to bring this up? said Biden, who added that he doesn’t need to be reminded when his son died.
He further said that he “is an older man” and that he “knows what he’s doing”.
– I am the best qualified person in the country to be president, said a confident president from the podium.
Biden admits that he “is an older man”, but that he “knows what he’s doing”.
Photo: Evan Vucci / AP
Several mistakes
This is not the first time the American president has been accused of having a bad memory. Videos are circulating on social media where the president has a somewhat awkward facial expression or fumbles with his words.
It has not helped Biden’s reputation that he has confused dead heads of state with living ones twice this week.
Also during today’s press conference, Biden made a mistake. He was supposed to comment on a telephone conversation he had had with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, but instead called the president of Mexico.
The White House has put down his blunder. The press secretary points out that Biden has met a number of world leaders throughout his long career.
– Both elected officials and many other people can sometimes say wrong, said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
– This is what happens. It happens to all of us, she said.
Several Democrats have come out and criticized the report. Richard Sauber, Biden’s special adviser, has condemned him, according to the BBC.
The president hastily called a press conference after the report was published on Friday.
Photo: Evan Vucci / AP
No criminal case against Biden
The main point, however, was that no criminal case will be brought against Biden’s handling of the document.
One of the reasons is that he must have brought the documents with him as vice-president and not president. It is also unusual to indict a sitting president.
Biden has strongly denied that he has broken the law.
It was reassuring that Biden returned the document when he was told to, unlike Donald Trump.
Among the documents was material on US policy in Afghanistan and other classified information. The documents were found in an office Biden had rented in Washington, in addition to his home in Wilmington, Delaware.
Several documents are said to have been found near a dog crate, a dog bed and an empty bucket, it says.
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