President Joe Biden has repeatedly dodged difficult questions from the media — and now he may have encouraged another world leader to do the same.
Biden sat down Thursday for the first time with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to restore relations after the U.S. experienced “rocky times” with the Southeast Asian nation, the Washington Post reported.
“We’ve had some rocky times, but the fact is it’s a critical, critical relationship, from our perspective,” Biden began the meeting.
“I hope you feel the same way,” he added.
Overall, it was a garden-variety diplomatic meeting between the president and his Philippine counterpart.
Marcos took over in June from former Phillippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who had an especially contentious relationship with the U.S. over human rights abuses, opening the door to a warmer relationship.
However, it wasn’t so much what the men discussed during the meeting, but rather an utterance Biden made under his breath as reporters peppered them with questions afterward that carried great significance.
As reporters were shouting their queries while being ushered out of the room — per the usual custom — Biden first sat still looking on.
WATCH: Reporters try to ask Joe Biden a few questions.
Biden just stares blankly ahead. pic.twitter.com/Mpzo98BIHL
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 22, 2022
Then, one reporter, in particular, asked, “Do you have confidence in David Malpass of the World Bank?” This elicited a response from Biden that is inaudible, but the White House transcript released after the meeting precisely captured the off-the-cuff comment.
“I wouldn’t bother answering,” Biden said.
That question was likely directed at Biden in light of the controversy surrounding World Bank President David Malpass, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, and his recent reluctance to toe the line on manmade climate change, Reuters reported.
Or, perhaps Biden was giving himself a general reminder by repeating a stage direction he was previously fed by one of his handlers.
Alternatively, as suggested by the way he subtly tossed his head toward Marcos as he was making the statement, maybe Biden was advising the world leader to treat the press just as he does where no question is too important to ignore.
It would make sense that Biden’s addled mind was stuck in the middle of the last century when the World Bank has been roundly criticized for the way it funded the dictatorial regime of Marcos’s father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Regardless of whether he was talking to himself in his creepy whisper again, or trying to counsel a world leader in the art of obfuscation, it was yet another instance of Biden’s royalty complex.
Biden is the king and doesn’t have to answer to anyone about anything — unless his wife or one of his handlers tells him to, that is.
