It has become increasingly obvious and difficult to deny that President Joe Biden, 80, has a tendency to appear lost and in need of direction when he is away from the White House.
That seemingly happened, again, on Monday when Biden arrived in Lithuania for a major NATO summit, the Western Journal reported.
The incident occurred immediately upon his descent from Air Force One and while he was greeted on a red carpet by his Lithuanian counterpart, President Gitanas Nausėda.
Video of President Biden's arrival showed him speaking with President Nauseda after exiting Air Force One, and the Lithuanian leader could be seen repeatedly gesturing ahead of them in the direction that they were intended to go.
The U.S. leader, however, seemed to point off in a variety of different directions and then pause with his hand on his chin, as if he were unsure of what to do next.
Following more chatting and pointing, the two men then shook hands and the video ended.
⚡U.S. President Joseph Biden has arrived in #Vilnius - Media#Lithuania #NATO #UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/xLIsnNbbUx
— @BlogUkraine (@BlogUkraine) July 10, 2023
The Western Journal observed that, in light of how critical this NATO summit is in relation to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, "the sight of the leader of the most powerful force in the alliance, unable to confidently navigate his way is more than embarrassing; it’s deeply concerning."
Given that President Biden is the leader of the U.S. military, it is necessary that he "exudes authority and assurance," particularly in public and in high-stakes situations like these, where the whole world is watching and any display of "weakness" on the part of the U.S., as represented by the president, can result in serious "repercussions" far beyond America's own borders or the political realm.
"NATO needs Biden’s guidance about Ukraine and other weighty matters, but Biden himself seems to need guidance just to find an exit off the tarmac," the outlet concluded. "It’s not a good look."
Nor was President Biden appearing to be lost upon arrival in Lithuania the only such instance that day, as hours earlier the elderly president met with King Charles III at Windsor Castle in the U.K. and, according to Newsweek, was seemingly "wandering around" and in need of repeated guidance on where to go by an increasingly impatient-appearing king -- who also may have become annoyed by Biden's repeated violation of protocol by making physical contact with the British monarch.
King Charles has trouble getting Biden to move on pic.twitter.com/wSA68xb6VA
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 10, 2023
Niles Gardiner, of the Heritage Foundation's Thatcher Center for Freedom in the U.K., told the outlet, "Judging by the images from Windsor, it did appear that at times Biden almost didn't know where he was, and that's increasingly the case when he travels on the international stage. It's very hit or miss."
"It's not always clear that he's in complete control, and he seems to be sort of wandering around. When Biden was inspecting the British troops at Windsor, he seemed to be sort of wandering around, and Charles had to really guide Biden significantly," he added. "Some of the footage was a bit odd really, and the whole visit just looked pointless. It doesn't seem to be a really invested visit. It hasn't been fully planned out."
