Staff Reports
President Biden made a major misstep during an official state visit, showing his lack of knowledge about basic protocol, according to a report from the Western Journal. While attending a formal Arrival Ceremony with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Biden made the embarrassing mistake of placing his hand over his heart during the playing of the wrong national anthem. The U.S. Army’s Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps was playing music to mark the beginning of the ceremony when they played the national anthem of India, causing Biden to put his hand over his heart. Afterward, when the U.S. national anthem commenced, Biden once again placed his hand over his heart. Social media users criticized the President for the mistake.
Biden, alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, slowly lowers his hand from his heart after realizing they're playing the Indian national anthem first pic.twitter.com/hcb0cpjFmN
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 22, 2023
The Western Journal noted that Biden should have been aware of the order of national anthems playing based on standard protocols. The State Department’s Chief of Protocol says it is customary for the guest country’s national anthem to be played first, followed by the host country’s. In the United States, the national anthem of the foreign country should be played first, followed by the U.S. national anthem. The mistake showed that Biden, despite decades in public office and as vice president, still lacks a basic understanding of the customs and protocols of U.S. state visits.
The blunder occurred during an important state visit, leading to criticism of Biden’s handling of official state events. The report shared that the world was watching as Joe Biden proved once again that he is not up to the task of representing America on the world stage. It is not the first time Biden has made such a faux pas, making many Americans question his fitness for office. The conservative media feels that the United States deserves a president who respects the traditions of other countries and understands the importance of representing America well on the world stage.
