Politics
WATCH: Biden Looks Completely Lost At Omaha Beach, Nearly Nods Off Mid-Ceremony
President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commemorated the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy today. Thursday’s event marked the monumental U.S.-led invasion that shifted the course of World War II, remembered as the largest naval assault in history.
Amid the solemn remembrance ceremony, however, Biden was spotted resting his eyes. During the commemoration, the President appeared less than fully engaged. Throughout the ceremony, there were multiple instances where the President seemed momentarily frozen and moved stiffly, resembling robotic motions.
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The situation took a more awkward turn as he exited the ceremony early, missing the opportunity to join French President Macron in greeting the veterans. The series of missteps amplified doubts about Biden’s performance and potential second term.
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D-Day, June 6, 1944, was a monumental event during World War II where Allied forces launched a massive beach assault against Nazi-occupied France. Known officially as Operation Overlord, the invasion involved over 156,000 American, British, and Canadian forces landing on five beachheads along the Normandy coast. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied France (and later Western Europe) and laid the foundations for the Allied victory on the Western Front.
D-Day is remembered as the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving meticulous planning and coordination across multiple armed forces, which combined air, sea, and land attacks. The moment in history not only turned the tide against the Axis powers in Europe but also demonstrated the commitment and bravery of the Allied troops who risked and often lost their lives to restore freedom and peace in Nazi-occupied territories.
“What the allies did here 80 years ago, far surpassed anything we could have done on our own,” Biden said during the ceremony. “Together, we won the war. The men who fought here became heroes, not because they were the strongest, or toughest, or fiercest, although they were, but because they were given an audacious mission, knowing, every one of them knew, the probability of dying was real. But they did it anyway, knowing without a doubt there are things worth fighting and dying for. Freedom, worth it. Democracy, worth it. America, worth it. Then, now, and always.”
In separate video clips, Biden was seen keeling over as his wife, Jill Biden, Macron, and Macron’s spouse, Brigitte Macron, stood straight while dramatic music blared. Jill covered her face and appeared unsure of what to do.
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Shortly afterward, she was spotted guiding the 81-year-old president away from the ceremony. A camera cut back to Macron, who looked to an aide and pointed toward Biden before jogging toward the waiting veterans and continuing on without his counterpart.
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Before leaving, Biden managed to shake a few hands and greet one veteran in a wheelchair, who stood to hug the president and take a photo, the AP reported. When he learned it was the man’s birthday, Biden led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday. The president’s abrupt departure comes just one day after the Wall Street Journal published an exposé of behind-the-scenes concerns about Biden’s mental acuity during high-stakes negotiations.