‘To You’: Joe Biden Trolled for Forgetting Man’s Name While Singing ‘Happy Birthday’
‘To You’: Joe Biden Trolled for Forgetting Man’s Name While Singing ‘Happy Birthday’ (screengrab/RNC Research/X)
Outgoing President Joe Biden found himself the subject of intense trolling on social media after a recent slip-up during a birthday celebration at the White House. The 82-year-old president, who has faced increasing criticism over his mental acuity, forgot the name of a man he had invited on stage to sing “Happy Birthday” to, as reported by The Daily Mail on Sunday, January 5.
Biden, who has long been under scrutiny for his occasional verbal missteps, had already sparked concerns about his cognitive abilities, particularly after his contentious debate performance against then-GOP nominee Donald Trump during the 2020 election campaign.
This led to further questions about his fitness for a second term, a topic that came to a head when he stepped down from his reelection bid in mid-2023 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. However, Harris’s subsequent loss to Trump in the recent election did little to quell concerns.
According to The Daily Mail, Biden invited a young man named Alicio to the stage on Sunday to celebrate his birthday. As Biden began singing the birthday song, he notably forgot the young man’s name, leading to an awkward moment.
The president stumbled through the part of the song where he was supposed to say Alicio’s name, instead dragging out a drawn-out “to you” at that moment. The video, which went viral, showed Alicio laughing off the uncomfortable slip-up as Biden fumbled with the name before eventually finishing the song.
Biden’s gaffes have become a frequent occurrence over the last year of his presidency. Notably, in December, the president was caught dozing off during a meeting with leaders of African nations about the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor.
Earlier in the year, Biden also made the embarrassing mistake of referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as Russian President Vladimir Putin, a slip that was particularly glaring given the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
As expected, netizens were quick to roast the oldest sitting president in U.S. history for the latest incident. Social media users shared their reactions, with many expressing their disbelief at Biden’s forgetfulness during such a public moment. This latest blunder has only fueled the ongoing debates about the president’s age and mental sharpness.
