Despite appearing less frequently in public, President Biden is confronted with the ominous potential for some of his term’s most dramatic moments still waiting in the wings. On a recent Tuesday, Biden sat in the White House Situation Room, monitoring the situation as Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles toward Israel. Unexpectedly, the Middle Eastern conflict that Biden had attempted to avoid throughout his time in office came to fruition. However, another crisis brewing domestically demanded his attention simultaneously.
As Biden deliberated over potential military responses with his foreign policy team, he kept being interrupted with updates about Hurricane Helene. This event was posed to be the most devastating storm to hit mainland America in nearly 20 years. Juggling these issues in the securely-equipped White House facility showcased the flurry of major crises that have emerged in the later part of Biden’s tenure.
Adding to the complexity of his role, even as his own visibility wanes, he continues to manage pressing issues, many unfolding at the same time. His presence shrinking is not indicative of a decreased importance; rather, it underscores that some of his presidency’s most critical days could yet be on the horizon. No individual privileged enough to occupy the White House has had the luxury of focusing on a single crisis at a time.
Beyond the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the potentially catastrophic hurricane, Biden also grapples with a war in Ukraine, threats of nuclear escalation from Russia, a brief but impactful dockworkers’ strike, and the looming shadow of former President Donald Trump verging on a potential return to the White House. Amidst worries over foreign election interference and the potential for an unexpected and drastic event leading up to the election, Biden’s plate is unquestionably full.
The geopolitics during Biden’s presidency have seen increased turbulence, and Trump, along with his allies, are capitalizing on the various crises to drive home this point. Democrats argue, rather sarcastically, that the present situation affords an opportune moment to compare the governance styles of Trump and Biden, and by extension, Vice President Kamala Harris.
On a Friday not so long ago, Biden made an unanticipated appearance at the White House briefing, speaking on the various hot-button issues sitting on his desk—ranging from the state of the robust American labor market to the Middle Eastern conflict and the port strike. The president’s demeanor, however, seemed to waver between frustration and impatience at times.
On being questioned about the criticisms launched at him by Trump and his allies, Biden showed a certain level of agitation. They were throwing around false claims, and Biden undoubtedly felt the need to counter them. He interrupted a cabinet meeting on the storm early in the week, injecting a dose of reality when his team started discussing a hotline the administration was planning further.
Inside the Oval Office, during a meeting with his senior national security officials earlier in the week, Biden requested his aides to expedite their briefings. Having tabled the initial discussion about the disturbing situation in the Middle East, they had to relocate to another room so that Biden could divert his attention to other pressing matters.