Biden turns confrontational over alleged memory loss in DOJ report: 'How in the hell dare he'
WASHINGTON ― President Joe Biden pushed back angrily Thursday at a special counsel report that portrayed him as an elderly man with "diminished capacities" including memory loss, saying it has "no place in this report."
"My memory is fine," Biden said in a primetime address to the nation. "Take a look at what I've done since I've become president."
Biden's rebuttal came during previously unannounced remarks from the White House. Earlier Thursday, Robert Hur, special counsel for the Justice Department, exonerated Biden from charges for his possession of classified documents but, in part, because Biden has "poor memory."
"For any extraneous commentary, they don't know what they're talking about," the 81-year-old Biden said. "It has no place in this report. The bottom line is, the matter is now closed."
Biden, visibly upset throughout his brief remarks, turned particularly emotional when addressing claims in Hur's report that Biden could not remember what year his son Beau died of cancer.
More: DOJ report digs into Biden's mishandling classified documents, 'poor memory': 5 takeaways
"There's even a reference that I don't remember when my son died," Biden said, choking up. "How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself it wasn't any of their damn business."
Clenching his teeth, Biden added: "I don't need anybody to remind me when he passed away."
Biden's critics seized on the special counsel report as evidence Biden is not for office. Biden's age was already a major campaign liability ahead of the 2024 election.
Biden also rejected Hur's conclusion that the president "willfully retained" the classified materials but only spared him of charges because jurors would likely find reasonable doubt.
"I've seen the headlines since the report was released about my willful retention of documents. These assertions are not only misleading, they're just plain wrong," Biden said.
Biden turned confrontational with reporters after his prepared remarks when asked about his memory.
"Only by some of you," Biden shot back when asked whether the report will fuel additional concerns about his age before the 2024 election.
"That is your judgment. That is your judgment. That is not the judgment of the press," Biden said, responding to a second reporter's question on voters' concerns about his age.
Minutes after defending his mental acuity, he also mistakenly referred to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the president of Mexico.
Biden was responding to reporters' questions about hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas and humanitarian assistance being allowed into the Gaza Strip.
"As you know, initially, the president of Mexico, el-Sisi did not want to open up the gate to allow humanitarian material to get in. I talked to him. I convinced him to open the gate."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Biden lashes out at special counsel over alleged memory loss
