U.S. President Joe Biden stated today, Wednesday, that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "losing the war in Iraq," instead of saying Ukraine, in a new slip of the tongue.
The slip occurred during Biden's remarks to reporters shortly before leaving the White House for a trip to Chicago. He was asked if the short-lived rebellion led by the head of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company, had weakened Putin.
Biden said, "It's hard to make that judgment. But it is clear he is losing the war in Iraq. He is losing the war domestically and has become somewhat of a pariah around the world. It’s not just NATO, it’s not just the European Union. There’s Japan, there are 40 countries."
This marks the second slip of the tongue in 24 hours. The previous evening, Biden corrected himself during a fundraising campaign when he mentioned China while referring to India, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited at the White House a week prior. He said, "You may have seen my new favorite friend, who is the Prime Minister of a small country that is now the largest in the world, China... Sorry, I meant India."
Such errors are not uncommon for the 80-year-old president. Public opinion polls indicate that a majority of Americans are concerned about Biden's age. According to a survey conducted by Reuters and Ipsos between April 21 and 24, about 73 percent of respondents believe that Biden's age disqualifies him from serving in government, with 63 percent of Democrats agreeing.
However, Biden's doctor stated in February after a medical examination that he is in good health and "fit to carry out his duties."
