Vice President Kamala Harris was pressed about President Joe Biden’s mental health during a Fox News interview on Wednesday with anchor Bret Baier.
The exchange centred on whether Harris had noticed any decline in Biden’s cognitive abilities while working closely together in the White House.
Baier began by reminding Harris of her previous public comments in which she praised Biden’s sharpness, stating he often “ran circles around his staff.”
He then asked directly, “When did you first notice that President Biden’s mental faculties appeared diminished?”
Harris paused before avoiding a direct response to the question. Instead, she emphasized Biden’s leadership and decision-making abilities.
“Joe Biden, I have watched from the Oval Office to the Situation Room, and he has the judgment and the experience to do exactly what he has done in making critical decisions on behalf of the American people,” she said.
Baier pushed further, asking if concerns had ever been raised about Biden’s cognitive health. Harris again deflected, responding, “Bret, Joe Biden is not on the ballot… and Donald Trump is.”
The Fox News anchor then brought up actor George Clooney’s recent comments in a New York Times op-ed.
Clooney stated that Biden appeared different from the person he once knew after a fundraiser they both attended earlier this year. Baier asked Harris if she had similar concerns after working with Biden weekly for over three years.
Harris once more pivoted the discussion towards Donald Trump, saying, “I think the American people have a concern about Donald Trump, which is why the people who know him best, including leaders of our national security community, have all spoken out, even people who worked for him in the Oval Office, worked with him in the Situation Room, and have said he is unfit and dangerous and should never be President of the United States again.”
She continued, referencing Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, who has also been critical of his former boss. Harris pointed out, “Even his former vice president, which is why the job was open for him to choose another running mate. So that is a fact. That is a fact.”
Critics of Biden’s mental acuity have been vocal throughout his presidency, though Democrats and much of the mainstream media have largely dismissed such claims. Questions surrounding Biden’s cognitive state have persisted as he ages, becoming a frequent talking point for his political opponents.
The debate over Biden’s mental fitness took on new urgency after his lackluster performance in a CNN debate against Donald Trump, leading to his abrupt exit from the 2024 race. This sudden shift placed Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket as the party’s nominee heading into the next election.