Biden trolled for bizarrely claiming 'they wouldn’t let me go' to Paris Olympics while honoring Team USA

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden revealed that he had wanted to attend the 2024 Paris Olympics, but was told he couldn’t go due to the "commotion" his presence would cause. It’s a rather bizarre claim considering that past US presidents have attended the games without such issues.

Biden spoke to a gathering of about 400 Olympians and Paralympians on the White House lawn on Monday, September 30, giving us a peek into the challenges faced by a president who likes to stay involved but often gets reined in by his staff.

The president can't go, but the first lady can

Joe Biden seemed a little disappointed when he addressed the athletes, explaining how he had to settle for watching the games from the comfort of the White House. “Because I’m president and I cause commotion when I go places, they wouldn’t let me go to the Olympics. But I watched it all. Jill, my wife, went to the Olympics,” he said.

While he was glued to the TV, Biden noted how even his staff had their televisions on to catch glimpses of the athletes as they prepared national security briefings for him. But the president wasn’t entirely left out of the loop. “In fairness, I had the TV on in the Oval Office as well. We felt so much pride,” he added.

Though Biden might have been benched for the Paris Olympics, he’s looking ahead to the next games in 2028, which will be held in Los Angeles. The 81-year-old president hinted that since he won’t be in office by then, there won’t be any red tape keeping him away.

“The Los Angeles summer games in ’28 — I won’t be president. They can’t stop me from going there then,” he declared.

Biden’s reference to “they” has become a bit of a running theme in his presidency. Whether it’s reporters or his staff, the president often speaks of a vague group that limits his actions - especially when it comes to interacting with the press or attending events. It’s a rather odd narrative for someone who holds the most powerful job in the world, the New York Post reported.

Joe Biden trolled on social media over comments about not attending Paris Olympics

After Biden’s remark about not being able to attend the Paris Olympics, social media went into overdrive, with many users on X (formerly Twitter) mocking the situation.

"Poor Joe…always getting the short end of the stick. Presidential coup and Olympics coup back to back!" one posted on X.

"He talks like he's being kept at a mental institution," another observed.

"It was for his own safety, they didn't want a lawsuit over a fall," a third user quipped.

"Who is 'they'? He's the freaking President!" read a comment.

"If they can tell you no, you’re not president," someone else offered.

"They said: 'No, Mr. President, right now is your nap time,'" another joked.

Joe Biden honors Team USA

The US dominated the Paris Olympics with a total of 126 medals. At the Paralympics, the US placed third with 105 medals.

Biden praised the athletes, calling the US the “greatest sports nation in the history of the world” and said that the Olympians and Paralympians represented “the very best of America.” He also reminded the athletes that the White House belonged to them. “This is not my house. This is your house ... Team USA’s house," he gushed.

Before Biden’s speech, several athletes took the stage to share their thoughts. Olympic swimming gold medalist Torri Huske delivered a moving speech. “There’s a reason that we’re known as the best country in the world, and we not only have the medal count to back that up, but each of us has a story of how we fought to get here,” she said.

“As amazing as this is, the Olympics and Paralympics are so much more than each of our individual accomplishments. Everyone talks about how the Olympics and Paralympics foster peace and international solidarity, and it’s true. They unite countries in the spirit of competition. They also inspire others, and that is what each of us did this summer. With each competition, we represented not only the flag and its people, but we upheld the legacy that is the United States," Huske added.

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