Biden appears to have fallen asleep at the meeting with African presidents

 

The incident in Angola is the latest in a series where President Joe Biden has been accused of either nodding off or making a gaffe on the world stage. During a meeting with African leaders, including the Angolan president and counterparts from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the 82-year-old U.S. 

the president appeared to fall asleep. He closed his eyes for over a minute while Tanzania’s Vice President Philip Mpango gave a speech. Biden rested his hand on his face and seemed to doze off, only to wake up briefly before closing his eyes again. Notably, all panel discussions were in English, despite Biden wearing an earpiece typically used for translation.

This occurred on the final day of Biden’s three-day trip to Angola, his first bilateral visit to Africa since assuming office in 2021. Over the past year, Biden has faced criticism for appearing fatigued and making missteps at international events, often attributed to his age. This has led to ongoing discussions about his stamina on the world stage.

The meeting on Wednesday was part of the Lobito Corridor Trans-Africa Summit, which followed a busy morning of site visits. Biden has previously acknowledged the challenges of international travel, especially after his performance in a presidential debate against Donald Trump in June, which he blamed on the toll of frequent travel. He admitted afterward that he had nearly fallen asleep during the debate and regretted overextending himself with back-to-back international trips.

In the past, Biden has also made notable gaffes, such as mistakenly introducing Ukraine’s President Zelensky as “President Putin” during a NATO summit in Washington. His occasional confusion and signs of fatigue have fueled the “Sleepy Joe” nickname coined by Trump during their first presidential race in 2019.

Additionally, Biden made another slip-up on Tuesday when he referred to Angola as a “vibrant city” before quickly correcting himself. “Look, not the city,” he said, adding, “The city, I know, is not Angola. But in Angola, in a vibrant city.” He also made a joking remark about his future plans, telling an audience, “As you know, I’m in the final weeks of my presidency. You don’t have to clap for that. You can if you want.”