US President Joe Biden botched a simple acronym while speaking to leaders from the Pacific Islands Monday in his latest verbal blunder.
Biden, 80, got stumped as he was trying to dictate the abbreviation of his administration’s Pacific Islands Infrastructure Initiative at a White House forum.
“Today I’m pleased to announce we’re working with Congress to invest $40 billion in our Pacific Islands Infrastructure Initiative,†he told the round table of leaders.
“We call it the P, PI — anyways, doesn’t matter what we call it but that’s what it is.â€
“I was gonna get back to acronyms and I’m gonna withstand not doing that,†he added, earning laughs from some of those gathered at the 18-member forum.
Biden suffered a speech impediment as a child and has been open about his lifelong challenges of overcoming a stutter.
However, those with a critical eye on the oldest-ever US president have tied his recent gaffes to his increased age and questioned if he is fit to lead the country for a second term.
Just last week, the commander in chief caught flak for appearing confused on stage at the United Nations where he stumbled into a large Brazilian flag, and then appeared to accidentally snub Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by walking away without a handshake.
Biden met with Pacific Islands leaders to heed their warnings about the toll of climate change on their region and announced new US aid to help the island prepare for its effects.
“I want you to know I hear you, the people in the United States and around the world hear you,†he told the leaders.
The US also officially established diplomatic relations with the Cooks Island and Niue, two South Pacific nations, during the summit.
