President Biden snuck off to bed instead of meeting with the German chancellor during a June 2022 G7 event – even though the confab was scheduled for the early evening, according to a report.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ended up meeting at an Alpine resort with Secretary of State Antony Blinken who told Scholz — to his surprise — that Biden had hit the hay, two people who were there told the Wall Street Journal.
The informal event was arranged as a secret meeting about Ukraine and was booked in the early evening because German officials knew Biden tired by night, the newspaper reported.
But a State Department spokesperson denied the assertion that German officials were told Biden needed to get some shut-eye.
“Secretary Blinken never said that or anything like it,” spokesperson Matthew Miller told the Journal.
A US official also argued the White House made clear early on that Biden wasn’t attending the G7 event while pushing back on claims that Blinken was standing in for the president.
The commander in chief focused on both international matters as well as domestic issues during the summit, wrapping up one night at 10 p.m., a White House official claimed to the outlet.
While Biden flashed no indications of cognitive decline during working hours, he came off as worn down the longer the summit lasted, people who were present with Biden reportedly said.
The Journal report outlines how some of Biden’s closest aides have shielded him from too much travel, as well as too many interactions with the media and lawmakers.
The Democrat, who is matched up to face former President Donald Trump in November, has faced fresh — and growing — scrutiny whether he is fit for office after a dismal debate performance last month.