Joe Biden’s “hot mic” moment while visiting factory viewed 3M times

A video of Joe Biden visiting a semiconductor plant in Durham, North Carolina while he is being recorded via a personal microphone has gone viral, being viewed 3.2 million times on Twitter as of 7:30 a.m. ET since it was posted on Tuesday afternoon.

In the footage, the president can be heard being guided along to meet a group of workers after touring the Wolfspeed factory, prompting claims that his every move was being orchestrated by his “handlers.”

There has been continued speculation about Biden’s mental agility. His public slip-ups and stumbles have prompted questions about the 80-year-old’s ability to cope with the demands of the presidency, but Biden has previously denied his age affects his capacity to do the job.

In an interview with 60 Minutes in September 2022, when asked about his mental acuity, Biden said his mind was “focused,” adding: “I no more think of myself as being as old as I am than a fly. There’s not things that I don’t do now that I did before, whether it’s physical or mental—or anything else.”

The president’s visit to the semiconductor plant on Tuesday came as part of a tour to highlight domestic manufacturing and the Chips and Science Act, a $280 billion package he signed into law in 2022, which aims to incentivize microchip production in the U.S.

It was overshadowed by the school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, which left three children and three members of staff dead. Biden addressed the shooting in his speech at the plant, stating “there’s nothing like losing a child, particularly the more senseless it is.”

Biden himself has lost two children, one in a car accident and another to cancer.

In the viral clip, Biden can be seen exiting the factory building, asking “Down here?” The guide responds: “Yes sir, down the ramp, and we have people lined up on the left over here.”

The guide then adds that there are “some union leaders and workers” and Biden waves, saying: “Hey guys and ladies.” The two continue down the ramp before the guide notes: “Your mark is going to be the blue one to the left.”

“How y’all doing,” the president says as he approaches a line of workers near an excavator.

“You got a blue mark, but that’s OK,” the guide says as they continue walking.

“I’ll stand on my blue mark, and then I’m going to say hello to each one of you,” Biden remarks as he reaches the front of the greeting line.

“Yes sir, I’ll help you get started,” the guide responds.

The exchange, captured on audio, has been reposted by several right-wing commentators and raised fresh questions about the extent to which Biden is able to be independent of his aides.

Collin Rugg, co-owner of conservative commentary outlet Trending Politics, said it “appears to catch Biden’s handler literally telling him how to walk.“

“Shocking Biden hot-mic reveals how handlers program his every move,” Benny Johnson, a political columnist and Turning Point U.S.A. official, wrote. “Yes, this is 100 percent real.”

Chuck Callesto, a political strategist and former GOP congressional primary candidate, said the “hot mic reveals just how much help Joe Biden receives from his handlers,” noting that he was the “leader of the free world.”

In the footage, Biden appears to be guided by a member of staff at the factory, with a protection officer following behind him. However, it is routine for the president’s outdoor visits to be highly choreographed to allow for the Secret Service to plan protection procedures in an unfamiliar location.

Newsweek approached the White House for comment via email Wednesday.