Biden stumbles over Zelenskyy introduction, calls him ‘President Putin’

Biden stumbles over Zelenskyy introduction, calls him ‘President Putin’


Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listens to U.S. President Joe Biden speak during a Ukraine Compact meeting, on the sidelines of the NATO’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington, U.S., July 11, 2024. 

Leah Millis | Reuters

President Joe Biden in an embarrassing verbal stumble on Thursday introduced Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a NATO conference as “President Putin.”

Biden’s botched introduction of Zelenskyy with the name of the Russian leader who has waged war on Ukraine for more than two years came less than an hour before Biden was due to face reporters in Washington, D.C., at his first news conference since his tongue-tied, sluggish debate against former President Donald Trump in late June.

It also comes as a growing number of Democrats are calling on Biden to drop out as the party’s presidential nominee.

“And now I want to hand it over to the President of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination,” Biden said.

“Ladies and gentlemen — President Putin. President Putin,” Biden said, before catching his mistake.

“He’s gonna beat President Putin, President Zelenskyy,” Biden said.

Zelenskyy deftly handled the flubbed introduction, quipping, “I’m better.”

Biden replied, “You are a hell of a lot better.”

This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.



Source

Judge orders Trump administration to halt indiscriminate immigration stops, arrests in California
Politics

Judge orders Trump administration to halt indiscriminate immigration stops, arrests in California

A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to halt indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in seven California counties, including Los Angeles. Immigrant advocacy groups filed the lawsuit last week accusing President Donald Trump’s administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned people in Southern California during its ongoing immigration crackdown. The plaintiffs include three detained immigrants […]

Read More
U.S. tariffs take center stage but China and the EU are quietly clashing
Politics

U.S. tariffs take center stage but China and the EU are quietly clashing

European Union and Chinese flags are displayed side by side in the meeting room where Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with European Council President Antonio Costa in Brussels, Belgium on July 2, 2025. Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images The U.S. tariff saga has stolen global spotlight from trade tensions between China and the European […]

Read More
Trump’s 50% Brazil tariff stretches emergency powers already facing court challenge
Politics

Trump’s 50% Brazil tariff stretches emergency powers already facing court challenge

United States President Donald Trump speaks to the Press before departs at the White House to Alligator Alcatraz, Florida on July 1, 2025, in Washington DC. Celal Gunes | Anadolu | Getty Images President Donald Trump’s politically charged new tariff threat — a blanket 50% duty on imports from Brazil — stretches an interpretation of […]

Read More