House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was confronted during a CNN interview Wednesday over allegations that top Democrats worked to conceal Joe Biden’s cognitive decline during his final months in office.
Appearing on CNN’s The Situation Room, Jeffries was questioned by anchor Wolf Blitzer, who cited a recent incident involving Biden’s reported confusion at a campaign fundraiser hosted by actor and political activist George Clooney.
According to multiple accounts, Biden did not recognize Clooney at the event, raising further questions about his mental state during his presidency.
“Why should voters trust Democrats when it’s clear so many in your party went to great lengths to keep Biden’s condition hidden from the public?” Blitzer asked.
Jeffries deflected the question, stating, “I can’t tell you what happened between George Clooney and President Biden. I wasn’t at that event. What I can say is that we’re not looking back. We’re going to continue to look forward because at this moment we’ve got real problems that need to be addressed on behalf of the American people.”
Rather than address the specific concerns surrounding Biden’s cognitive state, Jeffries pivoted to accusing Republicans of targeting social safety nets.
“Americans are focused on Republicans snatching away health care, food assistance, and other things that hardworking people rely on,” he said.
Blitzer continued pressing the issue, asking Jeffries directly whether he noticed signs of decline in his interactions with Biden near the end of his presidency.
“You interacted with President Biden during those days, those final days he was president of the United States. Did you see, did you sense that there was a major deterioration?” Blitzer asked.
Jeffries responded by describing internal party discussions at the time.
“The conversations with President Biden during those final days surrounded what would be best for the party at that given moment in time,” Jeffries said.
“President Biden subsequently made the decision that he was going to pass the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris. Of course, that was a decision that we [Democrats] supported strongly.”
Blitzer then questioned whether Jeffries and other Democrat leaders should have intervened earlier as signs of Biden’s decline became more apparent.
“As you look back, you were in a leadership position when President Biden decided to run again. Should you have done more at that point to intervene?” Blitzer asked.
Jeffries again avoided a direct answer, shifting the focus to Democratic victories in special elections.
“The American people have consistently shown their trust in Democrats by rejecting MAGA extremism at the ballot box,” he said.
The interview has sparked renewed debate over the timeline and transparency surrounding Biden’s final year in office and the Democratic Party’s decision-making process during that period.
While Democratic leadership continues to rally behind Vice President Kamala Harris, questions remain over what party officials knew about Biden’s condition—and when.
No formal statements have been released from the White House or from former President Biden’s aides regarding the Clooney incident or Jeffries’ comments.
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