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Reports from the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday have reignited concerns about the President Biden cognitive decline. The article highlights the unease among dozens of individuals who have interacted with the 81-year-old commander-in-chief in recent months.

This report comes at a time where lawmakers claim that policy decisions require strong leadership and clear communication.

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Biden Cognitive Decline

The Wall Street Journal interviewed more than 45 Republican and Democratic lawmakers and staffers, many of whom expressed worries about Biden’s cognitive abilities. Participants described a president who often spoke so softly during meetings that attendees struggled to understand him.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy remarked that Biden is “not the same person” as he was when he was elected.

According to the report, Biden’s demeanor and grasp of policy details fluctuated from day to day. He frequently relied on notes and deferred to aides during conferences.

"You couldn’t be there, and not feel uncomfortable," one source said, recounting a meeting about congressional funding for Ukraine aid in January. Others noted that Biden took about ten minutes to start the meeting and used note cards to state obvious points, making it difficult for participants to hear him clearly.

Much of the conversation during these meetings did not involve Biden directly. The president often asked his staffers to answer questions posed to him, which raised concerns among those present.

In a February follow-up with House Speaker Mike Johnson, Biden appeared unaware of the administration’s liquid natural gas export policy, mistakenly claiming it was “only a study” when it was actually in effect. This exchange reportedly dismayed Johnson and others who witnessed it.

McCarthy recalled that during tense negotiations over raising the debt ceiling last May, Biden would “ramble” and mumble, with his ability to command the room varying from day to day.

"He always had cards," McCarthy noted, emphasizing Biden’s dependence on notes. "He couldn’t negotiate another way."

McCarthy further recounted that Biden seemed to have forgotten the progress made in the negotiations, often revisiting old points that had already been resolved. This led to frustratingly general conversations where Biden only expressed "optimism about working things out."

Classified Documents Investigation

A senior GOP aide revealed that concerns about Biden's cognitive decline are a factor in the Justice Department's decision to withhold tapes of Biden’s interview with former special counsel Robert Hur. The video in the classified documents investigation will not be released.

Biden asserted executive privilege over five hours of audio tapes where he reportedly appeared confused about key facts from his own biography. And seemed like an old man.

This confusion was cited as a reason he was not prosecuted for allegedly mishandling classified records found in his garage, dating back to his tenure as Vice President.

The 81-year-old president also barred Congress from hearing tapes of ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer, who allegedly confessed to deleting incriminating recordings of Biden discussing classified information. These deletions were made after learning of Hur’s probe.

White House Response

In response to these allegations, a White House official dismissed the notion that Biden’s mental acuity is declining.

"Congressional Republicans, foreign leaders, and nonpartisan national-security experts have made clear in their own words that President Biden is a savvy and effective leader who has a deep record of legislative accomplishment," spokesman Andrew Bates claimed. He accused House Republicans of making false claims as a political tactic.

Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, would be 86 years old by the end of his second term if re-elected, which continues to raise questions about his cognitive health and ability to lead effectively.