President Biden inadvertently announced on Friday his approval for US airdrops of aid into “Ukraine,” instead of the intended destination, the Gaza Strip.
This error added to ongoing concerns about his cognitive abilities as the country approaches another election cycle.
During a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office, the 81-year-old president confused two prominent global issues. He made this mistake not once but twice.
“In the coming days, we are going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops of additional food and supplies into Ukraine and seek to continue to open up other avenues into Ukraine, including the possibility of a marine corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance,” Biden said.
The president later made clear he was referring to Gaza by adding, without noting his error, “the truth is, aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now.”
Subsequently, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed to reporters approximately 30 minutes later that Biden’s reference to “Ukraine” was, in fact, intended for Gaza.