Journalists in the United States are not allowed to ask President Joe Biden any questions without first submitting them to the White House, which then writes up the answers that the president reads out with conviction. This arrangement, which is reminiscent of what an authoritarian regime would resort to, is supposed to conceal the failing mental state of the 79-year old president.

Photographs of these cheat sheers are circulating on the web.

Every time the president answered an unscripted question, he spouted nonsense. For example, during his electoral campaign, he stubbornly announced the arrival of his son, Beau, who has been dead for six years. Or, in January 2021, after an unexpected question about high inflation, Joe Biden described it as a “great asset” before swearing at the journalist and calling him a “son of a bitch”.