Ten Awkward Moments and Bloopers from Joe Biden on the World Stage

US President Joe Biden prepares to address US Air Force personnel and their families stati
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

President Joe Biden continues his first trip overseas as president, but already he has found himself in awkward, funny, or outright embarrassing moments on the world stage.

Here is a list of moments during Biden’s trip that sparked chatter on social media.

1) Joe Biden confuses Syria with Libya three times.

Biden mistakenly spoke about engaging Russian President Vladimir Putin on issues concerning Libya three different times during a press conference.

The White House confirmed afterward that the president meant to say Syria.

2) Joe Biden interrupts British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to suggest he overlooked introducing the president of South Africa.

“I certainly didn’t,” Johnson replied to Biden.

Biden’s comment sparked laughter from some of the world leaders at the table.

3) Joe Biden confuses reporters after saying, “a lot of people may not know what COVID [Chinese coronavirus] is.”

“I know you all know, but a lot of people may not know what COVID is,” Biden said.

The White House clarified in the transcript afterward that Biden mistakenly said “COVID” three different times instead of “COVAX.”

4) Joe Biden abruptly ends press conference when asked about former President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs.

Biden awkwardly ended his press conference after the G7 when faced with a question about former President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs.

“A hundred and twenty days. Give me a break,” Biden said hoarsely, leaning into the microphone. “Need time.”

At that point, Biden had been president for 145 days.

He exited the stage without speaking further or adding an additional positive note to the conclusion of his G7 meetings.

5) Joe Biden expresses concern he would “get in trouble” by taking too many questions from reporters his press staff did not approve in advance.

“I’m sorry, I’m going to get in trouble with staff if I don’t do this the right way,” Biden said, as he looked at his list of pre-approved reporters.

Later he said to reporters, “I’m going to get in trouble with my press, my staff. Yeah, go ahead. But pretend that I didn’t answer you.”

6) Jill Biden moves quickly to retrieve Biden as he engages a reporter.

When a female reporter asked Biden how his meetings were going, he stopped and turned to ask her to repeat her questions.

Jill Biden turned back to retrieve Biden, waving at him and saying, “C’mon!” before taking his hand and leading him away.

7) Joe Biden says he does not want to return to the United States.

“It’s gorgeous. I don’t want to go home,” Biden said to journalists who spoke to him when he first arrived to the G7 Summit in Cornwall.

8) Joe Biden dodges handshake with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Biden said, waving off Johnson as he grinned and offered an elbow bump to Johnson’s new wife, Carrie, instead.

Biden complimented Johnson’s wife during their visit, noting he and Johnson “married way above our station.”

9) “Everybody in the water!”

As President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrived at the G7 summit to take a picture with world leaders on the beach in Cornwall, the president joked that everybody should jump into the water.

10) “Joe pay attention!”

As the Bidens spoke to troops stationed in the United Kingdom, one woman in the crowd shouted “I love you, Joe!” prompting the president to turn and look to learn the identity of the woman.

“Joe, pay attention,” his wife Jill Biden said quickly, prompting Biden to turn and sheepishly salute his wife.

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