How will Biden’s mental state and his son’s trial affect US election?
U.S. President Joe Biden, along with his son Hunter Biden, Washington, June 6, 2024, Anadolu Agency
Amidst the ongoing competition for the November U.S. Presidential elections, discussions about Joe Biden’s health and the trial of his son Hunter are gaining attention.
Speculations about Biden’s mental state have surfaced due to instances where he has appeared confused about events and names, raising questions about his ability to fulfill his presidential duties effectively
The recent images of Joe Biden freezing for a moment while others were dancing at the National Independence Day celebrations at the White House on June 11 have sparked discussions on social media. Among the topics being discussed is a statement from former President Donald Trump in 2019, where he referred to Biden as a “senile old man” and questioned his ability to lead the country.
On June 6, Biden tried to sit in a seat that did not exist at the ceremony held in France for the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings.
The Economist reported voices from the White House suggesting that Joe Biden has lost his cognitive abilities. Meanwhile, supporters of Donald Trump view his guilty verdict in the hush money case as a political matter rather than a legal one.
However, The Economist claimed that Hunter’s guilty verdict in the case in which he was tried on three charges, including concealing drug use while acquiring a firearm, strengthened Trump’s hand. Hunter is also on trial in another case for alleged tax evasion. Trump’s election office, on the other hand, described the trial of Hunter as a process to distract from the more serious crimes committed by the Biden administration.
Biden’s lawyer Abbe Lowell accuses the prosecutor of bowing to pressure from Trump supporters.
Reuters emphasized that both Trump and Biden are facing various lawsuits, but the candidates’ approval ratings appear to be almost equal.
BBC Washington correspondent Anthony Zurcher said, “Hunter’s international business dealings and financial ties to the president have put Joe Biden in the Republican spotlight. This case could further damage the president going into the election.”
Gary O’Donoghue, one of the BBC’s Washington correspondents, said that Republicans see Hunter Biden as Joe Biden’s soft underbelly and that Trump’s votes could increase after the trial in September.
