Pres. Joe Biden appeared to sleep throughout a Memorial Day speech by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday, further stoking fears of his declining mental capacity.
Biden’s eyes were closed, his head slumping down, and his body still during virtually all of Austin’s entire five-minute presentation. He very briefly opened his eyes a few times and once scratched his nose, without opening his eyes. At the end of Austin’s speech, Biden opened his eyes to look offstage, before being called to the podium to speak.
Not once did Biden look at, or even acknowledge, the speaker, Lloyd Austin.
Biden kept his eyes closed while listening to other speakers, as well, though it is video of Austin’s speech that’s gone viral.
Biden sympathizers on social media have suggested that Biden was deep in prayer, but, at no point, did the president make the sign of the cross or do anything to suggest that he was praying.
Refreshed, Biden gave a gaffe-free speech.