White House staff built a fortress around a fading president – opinion

Cabinet officials described a hierarchical structure where the White House simply handed down decisions and expected agencies to implement them, rather than involving cabinet secretaries in policy development.

By Jewish Breaking News

A coddled and increasingly confused Joe Biden has been trapped inside an elaborate protective bubble constructed by the president’s nervous staff.

Multiple insiders revealed to the Washington Post that over the past few years a small cadre of trusted White House advisers implemented strict protocols for Biden that governed everything from meeting lengths to information flow.

Senior Democratic lawmakers and even powerful cabinet members like Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen found their direct access to Biden increasingly limited, with key interactions often filtered through intermediaries like National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and senior counselor Steve Ricchetti.

Cabinet officials described a hierarchical structure where the White House simply handed down decisions and expected agencies to implement them, rather than involving cabinet secretaries in policy development.

Several officials noted difficulty in determining whether Biden’s limited engagement stemmed from age-related concerns or his preference for relying on a close-knit group of advisers.

Meanwhile, press aides were instructed to exclude negative coverage from Biden’s news briefings, while presidential interactions became increasingly scripted.

When meetings did occur, visitors were told to keep them focused and concise as the president’s energy and accuracy seemed to decline during lengthy sessions.

“I just thought that maybe the president just lost that fight,” Sen. Joe Manchin reflected on his meeting with Biden to the Journal. “The ability to continue to stay on, just grind it, grind it, grind it.”

During campaign events, donors were sometimes given pre-approved questions on notecards to read to the president.

Even then, Biden occasionally stumbled, leaving donors puzzled when he made mistakes despite having the questions in advance.

The turning point came after Biden’s disastrous June debate performance against Donald Trump made his cognitive challenges impossible to ignore.

Despite mounting pressure over his candidacy, President Biden reportedly held a tense virtual meeting with the New Democrat Coalition on July 13.

During the call, Biden insisted his polling numbers remained strong. However, when lawmakers challenged his assessment, the president grew visibly frustrated and abruptly ended the call.

Eight days later, Biden dropped out of the race.

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