Amid sparse public appearances in the last weeks, President Joe Biden emerged only to silently grin at reporters who shouted a torrent of questions at him that remained unanswered.

At a White House event on Tuesday, the 81-year-old president who ended his re-election bid amid a pressure campaign to kick him off the ticket in July, spoke about his “Investing in America” agenda before the wave of press questions.

“COVID no longer controls our lives. We’ve gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the world, literally,” he said. “Record 16 million new jobs, record small business growth, record stock market, record high 401(k)s, wages are up, inflation is down, way down and continuing to come down, and the smallest racial wealth gap in 20 years.”

“May God protect our troops,” he concluded.

But the president stayed sitting behind his desk as he gathered his belongings, grinning as reporters deluged him with questions about everything from high grocery prices to the Israel-Hamas war.

“Crooked Joe Biden — completely cooked — spends a full minute ignoring questions as his handlers desperately attempt to remove them from the room,” the Trump War Room social media account wrote on X. “Warning: This is painful to watch.”

Crooked Joe Biden — completely cooked — spends a full minute ignoring questions as his handlers desperately attempt to remove them from the room.

Warning: This is painful to watch. pic.twitter.com/l8G88CGvqa

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 3, 2024

Earlier this year, the left-wing New York Times surprisingly called Biden out for his lack of access with the press.

“For anyone who understands the role of the free press in a democracy, it should be troubling that President Biden has so actively and effectively avoided questions from independent journalists during his term,” the Times said in a statement at the time. “The president occupies the most important office in our nation, and the press plays a vital role in providing insights into his thinking and worldview, allowing the public to assess his record and hold him to account.”

“Mr. Biden has granted far fewer press conferences and sit-down interviews with independent journalists than virtually all of his predecessors. It is true that The Times has sought an on-the-record interview with Mr. Biden, as it has done with all presidents going back more than a century. If the president chooses not to sit down with The Times because he dislikes our independent coverage, that is his right, and we will continue to cover him fully and fairly either way,” it added.