Politics

Rigid Biden roused by George Floyd’s brother during lively White House Juneteenth event

George Floyd’s brother appeared to come to President Biden’s rescue Monday night after the commander-in-chief awkwardly froze for nearly a minute in the middle of a lively Juneteenth event at the White House.

The 81-year-old president was virtually motionless for a chunk of time as gospel singer Kirk Franklin belted out his song “Love Theory” on stage at the Juneteenth celebration.

Even as others, including Vice President Kamala Harris, danced alongside him on the South Lawn, Biden bizarrely kept his gaze fixed on the stage, his mouth partly open.

George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, appeared to come to President Biden's rescue Monday night after the aging commander-in-chief awkwardly froze for nearly a minute.
George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, appeared to come to President Biden’s rescue Monday night after the aging commander-in-chief awkwardly froze for nearly a minute. Ting Shen/UPI/Shutterstock

At one point, Philonise Floyd — the younger brother of the late George Floyd — suddenly wrapped his arm around the president, footage of the moment shows.

Biden then stared blankly ahead for several more seconds before exchanging a fist bump with Floyd.

The strange encounter sparked a flurry of mockery from Republicans on social media, with the Donald Trump campaign’s war room tweeting, “Lights are on but no one’s home.”

Meanwhile, Biden also took heat after he appeared to repeatedly slur his words — often beyond the point of comprehension — when he later took the stage to deliver remarks ahead of next week’s Juneteenth federal holiday, which commemorates the end of legal slavery in the US.

“She know long! She knew suhlongasuhijeruhhnied, our freedom can never be secured,” the official RNC Research X account captioned a clip of the speech.

During a more comprehensible part of his address, Biden noted that he was “proud” to have signed legislation designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday in 2021. 

The 81-year-old president was spotted remaining virtually motionless for a chunk of time even as others danced alongside him.
Biden, 81, was spotted remaining virtually motionless for a chunk of time even as others danced alongside him. AFP via Getty Images

“The day reminds us that we have a hell of a lot more work to do. Let’s keep marching. Let’s keep the faith,” he said.

The Biden campaign did not respond to The Post’s request for comment about his apparent freeze-up.

Staffers have long acknowledged that Biden — who would be 86 years old if he completes a full second term in the White House — at points has lost focus in private conversations, as well as his slew of public gaffes and stumbles.