Former U.S. President Joe Biden drew attention online after a brief verbal stumble while delivering a speech at the International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference on Friday, where he was being honored for his administration’s work on advancing LGBTQ+ rights.
Biden, 83, was addressing a crowd of international activists, advocates and political leaders when the moment occurred. He had been speaking about the resilience of the United States during times of crisis and the importance of unity in overcoming national challenges.
“We are one of the only countries in the world that time and again has come out of every crisis stronger than we entered into that crisis,” Biden said.
He continued by encouraging hope and perseverance, telling the audience: “We just have to get up. So long as we keep the faith, summon hope, we get back up and remember who in the hell we are.”
However, as he reached the end of the sentence, Biden briefly stumbled over the name of the country, saying: “We’re the United States of Amerigotit.”
He immediately recovered, adding: “That’s who we are. We’re the U.S.”
While the crowd largely brushed off the moment, clips of the gaffe quickly circulated on social media, where critics and supporters once again debated Biden’s age, health and long-standing tendency to make verbal slips during public appearances.
Biden’s speech came as he accepted an award for his administration’s policies supporting LGBTQ+ Americans, including reversing the ban on transgender military service, expanding protections against discrimination, and appointing openly LGBTQ+ individuals to prominent positions in government. His presidency marked a notable shift toward more inclusive federal policies for the LGBTQ+ community, which remains under debate in many parts of the country.
During his remarks at the conference, Biden also took aim at former President Donald Trump’s administration, accusing it of using LGBTQ+ rights as a “wedge issue” to divide Americans.
“Gay and lesbian rights, and now transgender rights, are being used to further divide the country,” Biden said, calling on Americans to stand together rather than allow political leaders to “turn neighbour against neighbour.”
He closed his short speech by urging unity and action. “Let’s keep this fight going. Let’s win it together. Now. Not tomorrow. Now,” he told the audience.
The former president’s latest slip added to a long list of verbal mix-ups that have followed him throughout his decades in politics. Biden has frequently spoken about struggling with a childhood stutter, which he says has contributed to speech difficulties even in adulthood. Nonetheless, critics have often used these moments to question his mental sharpness.
In one of the most widely reported gaffes, Biden accidentally introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” during a high-profile international event, before quickly realising the error and correcting himself. “No, we’re going to beat Putin,” he said at the time, explaining that he had been so focused on the Russian leader and the war in Ukraine that he misspoke.
On another occasion, while praising Vice President Kamala Harris, he mistakenly referred to her as “Vice President Trump,” later clarifying that Harris was fully qualified to serve as president. At a separate event, he addressed members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus as the “Congressional Black Caucus,” prompting uncomfortable reactions in the room.
According to reports from a 2023 private fundraising event in New York, Biden also repeated the same personal story within just a few minutes, recounting how the 2017 Charlottesville protests influenced his decision to run for president. White House pool reporters noted that the story was delivered almost word-for-word both times.
Concerns about Biden’s communication abilities reached a peak during his debate against Donald Trump in June 2024. During the nationally televised event, he struggled to complete sentences, lost his train of thought, and appeared visibly fatigued. The performance intensified public and political pressure, with even some members of his own party questioning whether he should continue his reelection campaign.
Weeks after the debate, Biden made the historic decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, making him the oldest sitting U.S. president to step aside and not seek a second term. In a statement at the time, he said the decision was made “in the best interest of the country and the Democratic Party.”
Since leaving the White House, Biden has kept a relatively low public profile, only appearing at select events related to democracy, civil rights and global leadership. His appearance at the International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference marked one of his most notable public engagements since stepping down.
While the brief stumble over the word “America” became a viral talking point, many attendees and supporters focused instead on the message behind his speech: unity, perseverance and continued advocacy for equal rights. For them, the former president’s legacy on LGBTQ+ issues and civil rights outweighed a fleeting verbal mistake — one of many that has marked, but not defined, his long career in public service.
Source:Africa Publicity
