President Joe Biden landed in Israel on Wednesday to kick off a Middle East tour, and the commander-in-chief started his trip by asking for directions, then quickly correcting himself after committing an unfortunate gaffe while discussing the Holocaust.
The president was greeted by Yair Lapid, Israel’s interim prime minister, at Ben Gurion Airport alongside a handful of other delegates.
At one point, Biden asked the group, “What am I doing now?” Conservative pundit Benny Johnson observed, “Biden is so lost,” in reaction to his apparent state of confusion.
“What am I doing now?”
Biden is so lost.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 13, 2022
Biden’s request for guidance comes just weeks after he inadvertently showed the world that his staff provides him with directions for tasks such as walking into a room and sitting down at the table. In late June, Biden flashed a notecard during a meeting with union and private sector leaders that displayed the widely mocked cheat sheet:
Joe Biden isn't senile, guys. His handlers just have to give him step by step directions for every single thing that he does.
h/t @KateHydeNY pic.twitter.com/JaKZMLv64V
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 23, 2022
Contributing to his latest follies, Biden then stumbled during his opening remarks in Israel while reading the words Yad Vashem — Israel’s official memorial to victims of the Holocaust. Shortly after, he misspoke about the “honor of the Holocaust” before quickly correcting himself to say “the horror of the Holocaust.”
Biden lands in Israel and immediately says he is there to “keep alive the honor of the Holocaust.”
Then butchers the name of the Jerusalem Holocaust museum Yad Vashem.
Great start. pic.twitter.com/xS6FFOtf0x
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 13, 2022
Biden’s latest flub only adds to his self-admitted reputation that he is prone to social faux pas. In 2018, Biden told the press, “I am a gaffe machine, but my God, what a wonderful thing compared to a guy who can’t tell the truth,” while comparing himself to former President Donald Trump.
The president will fly directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia in a move intended to bolster relations between the two Middle Eastern countries. CNN also reported that the president would look to build upon the Abraham Accords signed by Trump in 2020. The Abraham Accords were a joint statement first signed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Israel, and the U.S. intended to promote peace and improve regional diplomatic relations.
“It’s changed the security situation in the Middle East,” a senior U.S. official told CNN. “Our job is to go deeper with the countries that have signed up and to go wider if we can.”
On Wednesday, Biden emphasized the United States’ commitment to its alliance with Israel.
“We’re going to deepen our connections in science and innovation and work to address global challenges through the new strategic high-level dialogue on technology,” the president said in his speech at the airport. “We’ll continue to advance Israel’s integration into the region, expand emerging forums and engagement.”
Axios reported that Biden and Israel’s Lapid would sign “The Jerusalem Declaration” on Thursday, which will include a joint statement pledging never to allow Iran to acquire or create a nuclear weapon.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.