Donald Trump caused a stir at a Virginia rally this weekend where he appeared to mix up Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
Trump's critics seized on his remarks as evidence of mental decline, as Democrats attempt to equate Biden's almost daily gaffes with Trump's occasional slips.
Whether Trump's latest remarks were intentional or not, they likely made the Obamas pretty uncomfortable, given pervasive speculation that the power couple is continuing to influence the White House.
During a rally in Virginia on Saturday, Trump appeared to suggest that Obama was still the president while riffing on Russia.
“Putin has so little respect for Obama that he’s starting to throw around the nuclear word. You heard that. Nuclear. He’s starting to talk nuclear weapons today,” Trump said.
The Biden campaign pounced, writing on X, "Trump once again forgets who president is currently, says he is running against ‘Obama.'”
After leaving the White House, Obama made the unusual decision to retain a residence in Washington, D.C., and he has continued to play a high-profile role in political affairs, leading many to believe that he never relinquished power over the Democrats.
He is certainly their biggest star, and there is rampant speculation that his wife could run for president if Biden falters.
Trump has used Obama's name interchangeably with Biden's on several occasions, but he insists he does it on purpose "as an indication that others may actually be having a very big influence in running our Country."
"No, I know both names very well, never mix them up, and know that they are destroying our Country," he wrote on Truth Social in November.
A recent poll found that Michelle Obama is the top choice among Democrats if Biden steps aside.
Barack and Michelle Obama are expected to play significant roles as campaign surrogates for Biden, with polls showing a tight race between Biden and Trump.
The White House doctor recently declared Biden "fit for duty" following his annual physical, which once again did not include a cognitive exam, despite growing public pressure for Biden to clear up doubts about his age.
Biden's press secretary said he doesn't need a cognitive test because he passes one "every day" in the performance of his duties.
