At a certain point in public life, every misspoken word is scrutinised, every physical stumble is recorded. For former U.S. President Joe Biden, that painful scrutiny peaked once more on Friday, when the 83-year-old Democrat suffered a genuinely brutal, and deeply symbolic, humiliation: he fumbled the very pronunciation of 'America' during a passionate speech.
The visibly frail 46th president was addressing a forum on LGBTQ rights in Washington, DC, hosted by the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, where he was being honoured with the Chris Abele Impact Award for running what the organisation called one of the most inclusive administrations in U.S. history. Yet, during an impassioned moment of his keynote speech — a critique of the Donald Trump administration's impact on civil rights — the man who has served the country for more than five decades disastrously mangled the nation's name.
Known for his history with a stutter, Biden frequently stumbled over his words during the nearly 20-minute remarks. Trying to galvanise the audience, he rallied: 'I still believe that emerging from the many crises caused by this administration, as we have constantly, none the less, come out stronger, wiser, and more resilient — but we just have to get up'.
He then hit the critical moment, attempting to define the very spirit of the United States: 'As long as we keep the faith, some hope and get back up and remember who in the hell we are — we are the United States of Amerigotit', he fumbled.
Following the inexplicable flub, he quickly attempted to recover his poise, adding: 'That's who we are. We are the US'.
Joe Biden's Humiliating Flub: A New Low for 'Amerigotit'
The mortifying mishap immediately placed the focus squarely back onto the health and age issues that defined Biden's final year in the White House. The gaffe caused immediate chaos on social media, with clips of the moment going viral within minutes, reigniting the viral conversation about his fitness that has plagued him since the 2024 election. Detractors and rivals immediately seized on the word 'Amerigotit' as a damning piece of shorthand for his cognitive decline.
The former president had used the event to slam 'MAGA republicans' for attempting to 'distort and derail our fight for equality' and accused the Trump administration of turning gay rights into something 'scary' and 'sinister'. But the impact of his political rhetoric was completely overshadowed by the clear signs of his deteriorating cognitive abilities.
This latest public gaffe comes after a long period in which his health was a central topic of political debate. The most high-profile incident occurred back in June 2024, when he faced a firestorm over his cognitive fitness following a disastrous debate performance against President Trump, which ultimately prompted him to drop out of the election the following month.
The Crisis Surrounding Joe Biden: Cancer, Gaffes, and a 'Cover-Up'
What makes the current scrutiny so acute is the alarming disconnect between official reports and recent reality. Earlier in 2024, the former president's longtime physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, had publicly declared he was 'fit to serve' after the then-presumptive Democratic nominee underwent a routine medical examination in February.
However, just a few months later in May, Biden himself had to publicly announce a far more serious diagnosis: he had been diagnosed with an 'aggressive' type of prostate cancer that had metastasised to his bones.
This devastating news was compounded by the fact that doctors only found a 'small nodule' on Biden's prostate and other cancer cells during a separate medical exam — a Stage 4 diagnosis that went seemingly undetected by his medical team while he was still occupying the White House.
The revelations have led to a major political headache for democrats and fuelled the fire of his opponents. The House Oversight Committee's investigation into a potential cover-up focuses on how medical assessments failed to identify the Stage 4 cancer and whether his staff intentionally shielded him from the public spotlight and managed his schedule to minimise his public gaffes.
The GOP-led House Oversight Committee is currently investigating whether Biden's mental condition and his use of an autopen were deliberately covered up by those in his inner circle during his time in office. Since leaving the White House in January, the former president has kept a noticeably low profile, surfacing mainly for limited public appearances and medical updates. His Friday address, intended to celebrate his legacy, has instead served as a brutal reminder of the difficult and intensely personal issues surrounding his final departure from the political stage.
The 'Amerigotit' gaffe is more than just a slip of the tongue; it is a painful symbol of the profound questions still swirling around the final months of the Joe Biden administration. With a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis that went seemingly undetected and an ongoing congressional probe into a possible cover-up of his health and use of an autopen, the full truth remains obscured.
