WATCH: Biden Says He Recently Spoke With Foreign Leader Who Died In 1996

On Monday, President Joe Biden recounted an interaction that sparked a mixture of amusement and confusion. According to Joe Biden, he had a poignant exchange after his election with a figure from the past, François Mitterrand, who was notably the President of France from 1981 to 1995.

The anecdote raised eyebrows for a simple reason; Mitterrand passed away in 1996, making such a meeting impossible.

During a discussion about his early days in office, Biden said, “Right after I was elected, I went to what they call a G7 meeting, all the NATO leaders.”

“I sat down and I said, ‘America’s back!’ And Mitterrand from Germany, I mean, from France, looked at me and said…’How long you back for?'”

WATCH:

The statement quickly attracted attention for its historical inaccuracies, not only regarding Mitterrand’s nationality but also the fact that Biden implied a conversation took place with a leader who has been deceased for over two decades.

The President’s anecdote was meant to highlight the importance of American leadership and commitment on the global stage. However, the mention of Mitterrand, a significant figure in French and European politics who indeed had no overlap with Biden’s presidency due to his death in 1996, led to a mix of scrutiny across social media.

REACTIONS:

There's copious evidence that, mentally, Biden passed away around 1996 as well. So this fits.

— Progressing California (@ProgressingCali) February 5, 2024

This is a Biden on "good day." Think about that for a moment.

— Spud Juice (@OddreyMonkey) February 5, 2024

Not hard to tell when he's off the prompter and Adderall.

— Fantastic Mr. Fox (@Tschosik) February 5, 2024

President Biden as sharp as ever 😂😂😂😂

— J Stewart (@triffic_stuff_) February 5, 2024

He probably did meet him. Old people see dead people more that they see living ones

— Duke of Milan (San Diego) ✝️ (@ACMilanSanDiego) February 5, 2024