Summary

  • Concerns about US President Joe Biden's age have been raised after a Special Counsel report described him as an "elderly man with a poor memory"

  • Some Democrats are throwing their support behind Biden, but Republicans have pounced on the opportunity to call the president too old to govern

  • White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre told media Biden is an effective leader and the report's comments about his age 'don't live in reality'

  • The investigation focused on mishandling classified files, with some kept in cardboard boxes in Biden's garage, but it found no criminal charges were warranted

  • The report said Biden's memory "appeared to have significant limitations" during his interviews with investigators

  • The president called a surprise news briefing on Thursday night to defend himself over how his age and memory were described in the report

  • Biden said his "memory is fine" and gave an emotional response to Special Counsel Robert Hur's claims he could not remember when his son died: "How the hell dare he raise that?"

  • In a response included in the report, the White House says the descriptions of Biden's memory are not "accurate or appropriate"

Live Reporting

Edited by Brandon Livesay and Lisa Lambert

  1. Verbal gaffe as Biden tried to play down age concerns

    Biden refers to Egyptian president as leader of Mexico

    Joe Biden addressed the nation on Thursday to defend himself against a stinging report that took aim at his age and memory, but in that very same speech he made a verbal gaffe.

    He referred to Egyptian leader Abdul Fattah al-Sisi as the "president of Mexico".

    Asked to comment on the latest in the Israel-Gaza war, he said: "I think as you know initially, the president of Mexico, Sisi, did not want to open up the gate to allow humanitarian material to get in”.

  2. Biden defends his age, hits out at question about his son's death

    Biden: 'I'm elderly and know what the hell I'm doing'

    On Thursday night, Joe Biden hit back angrily at an investigation that found he mishandled top secret files and struggled to recall key life events.

    "My memory is fine," he insisted in a surprise news briefing, which you can watch in the video above.

    He responded to a claim that he could not remember when his son died, saying: "How the hell dare he raise that?"

    "Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, was none of their damn business.

    "I don't need anyone to remind me when he [Beau Biden] passed away.”

    The president said he was “well meaning”, and added he knew he was elderly but “I know what the hell I'm doing. I put this country back on its feet”.

  3. Welcome

    Brandon Livesay
    US reporter

    Hello and welcome to our coverage of the political fallout for US President Joe Biden, after a report into how he handled classified documents raised concerns about his age and memory.

    Biden went on the offensive on Thursday night, firing back at claims in the special counsel investigation which said he "appeared to have significant limitations”.

    "My memory is fine," he insisted in the surprise news briefing.

    And he gave an emotional response to a claim that he could not recollect when his son died, saying: "How the hell dare he raise that?"

    Republicans have seized on the report to politically attack the president, and some Democrats have come to his defence.

    Stay with us as we follow the reactions and analysis.