President Joe Biden has clashed with White House staffers about going off-script during some speeches, according to a new report.
Biden has faced backlash over a number of remarks in recent months over topics such as the war between Israel and Hamas, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. An article published by Reuters on Tuesday outlined how some of the remarks created a headache for White House staffers who have sought to reign him in.
The report comes as Biden continues his reelection bid despite concerns from some Democrats about his age and electability, as many polls show him trailing former President Donald Trump in a head-to-head matchup. Biden remains the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, but Republicans have sought to use recent gaffes and other offhand remarks to draw into question whether he is the best candidate to lead the country for another four years.
The article highlighted that while Biden typically relies on teleprompters in his political speeches, he has gone off-script a few times in recent months, leading to confusion and challenges for his staffers.
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“Biden’s open-mic disclosures are clashing with the White House system built to keep him on script,” the article reads. “The comments sometimes baffle, rankle, or worry his aides, who are forced to explain or contradict them later.”
The article noted that staffers sometimes “struggle to shift attention back to the administration’s message of the day” or explain why some of Biden’s comments appear to be “at odds with official U.S. policy.”
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.
The article pointed to two specific instances in which Biden’s remarks caused trouble for White House staff.
In December, Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the “indiscriminate bombing” of Palestinian civilians amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Biden has cast himself as a strong supporter of Israel, arguing it has a right to defend itself following Hamas’ October 7 attack. However, he has also cautioned the Israeli government to avoid civilian casualties.
Biden’s remarks sparked questions about the state of the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, though spokesperson John Kirby said Biden was simply voicing concern about civilian casualties.
The report also pointed to Biden referring to Xi, whose relationship with U.S. leaders has long been contentious, as a “dictator” during a press conference in November.
“Well, look. He’s a dictator in the sense that he’s a guy who rules a country that is a communist country, that’s based on a form of government totally different than ours,” Biden said.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.