Joe Biden cuts off rare press conference by telling reporters: ‘I’m really gonna be in trouble’

President Biden cut short remarks to reporters outside the White House on Tuesday because he said answering more questions would have gotten him into ‘trouble’ – reigniting suspicions his handlers are shielding him from the press.

Biden gave a brief address on the North Lawn on Tuesday announcing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance on mask wearing.

The CDC eased its guidelines on Tuesday on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.

After Biden’s remarks, the assembled group of White House correspondents started shouting questions at the president.

Biden answered one question about the need for people to vaccinate so they can take off their masks outdoors.

President Biden cut short remarks to reporters outside the White House on Tuesday because he said answering more questions would have gotten him into ‘trouble’ – reigniting suspicions his handlers are shielding him from the press

Biden gave a brief address on the North Lawn on Tuesday announcing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance on mask wearing

Biden gave a brief address on the North Lawn on Tuesday announcing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance on mask wearing

After Biden’s remarks, the assembled group of White House correspondents started shouting questions at the president. Biden answered one question about the need for people to vaccinate so they can take off their masks outdoors

After Biden’s remarks, the assembled group of White House correspondents started shouting questions at the president. Biden answered one question about the need for people to vaccinate so they can take off their masks outdoors

Finally, the president was asked a question about the crisis in India, where hundreds of thousands of newly diagnosed coronavirus infections are being reported every day. 'I'm sorry,' he said. 'This is the last question I'll take, and I'm really gonna be in trouble.'

Finally, the president was asked a question about the crisis in India, where hundreds of thousands of newly diagnosed coronavirus infections are being reported every day. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘This is the last question I’ll take, and I’m really gonna be in trouble.’

He also told another reporter that he wore a mask to the news conference outside so that ‘you [can] watch me take it off and I will put it back on when I get inside.’

When another reporter asked if he had any preconditions before meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden responded: ‘I will discuss that another day.’

Finally, the president was asked a question about the crisis in India, where hundreds of thousands of newly diagnosed coronavirus infections are being reported every day.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said.

‘This is the last question I’ll take, and I’m really gonna be in trouble.’

It wasn’t clear what Biden meant by being ‘in trouble.’

On Twitter, critics of the president mocked him. Biden’s opponents in conservative media have denigrated the president as a ‘puppet’ of his staffers.

On Twitter, critics of the president mocked him. Biden’s opponents in conservative media have denigrated the president as a ‘puppet’ of his staffers

On Twitter, critics of the president mocked him. Biden’s opponents in conservative media have denigrated the president as a ‘puppet’ of his staffers

During the presidential campaign, supporters of former President Donald Trump mocked Biden for being confined to the ‘basement’ for fear that being out on the trail would make voters realize he was too old and frail for the White House.

Throughout his political career, which includes stint as a senator from Delaware as well as vice president in the Obama administration, Biden has gained a reputation for verbal slippages and gaffes. 

‘That’s what leadership looks like folks,’ one Twitter user commented.

Another Twitter user commented: ‘Spoken like the most powerful man in the world.’

Another Biden critic chimed in: ‘Deep state at its finest. Who’s Joe gonna be in trouble with? He’s the president, I thought.’

‘Are they giving him shock treatment if he doesn’t do as he’s told?’ Tim Greaux tweeted.

Another Twitter user commented: ‘His handlers won’t be too pleased.’

On March 25, Biden held his first, solo, full-length news conference at the White House.

The president waited 65 days into his first term in office before fielding questions from the press.

On March 25, Biden held his first solo, full-length news conference at the White House as president. The hourlong session with reporters did not include questions about key topics such as the pandemic, reopening schools, potential tax increases, or Russia

On March 25, Biden held his first solo, full-length news conference at the White House as president. The hourlong session with reporters did not include questions about key topics such as the pandemic, reopening schools, potential tax increases, or Russia

Biden speaks with reporters on occasion in informal manners, but has waited the longest of any other president in the last nearly 100 years to hold a formal question-and-answer session with journalists

Biden speaks with reporters on occasion in informal manners, but has waited the longest of any other president in the last nearly 100 years to hold a formal question-and-answer session with journalists

It is the longest period a sitting president has waited to host a news conference in the last 100 years. 

At the one-hour press conference last month, Biden called on just 10 reporters to ask questions, and many of them focused on the migrant crisis at the southern border, leaving little time for other subjects. 

While Biden has been on pace with his predecessors in taking questions from the press in other, more informal formats, he tends to field just one or two inquiries at a time, usually in a hurried setting at the end of an event or in front of a helicopter.

Pressure had mounted on Biden to hold a formal session, which allows reporters to have an extended back-and-forth with the president on the issues of the day.

Trump held his first press conference February 16, 2017 – less than a month after taking office. And Barack Obama waited even less time, holding his first February 10, 2009.

Biden’s conservative critics have pointed to the delay to suggest that Biden was being shielded by his staff.