White House is forced to make correction after Biden suggested US troops WOULD be sent into Ukraine and had already been there in speech slip up to paratroopers in Poland

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The White House was forced to clarify on Friday that American troops would not be going into Ukraine after President Biden appeared to make a slip that there could be boots on the ground in his speech to paratroopers in Poland.

'You’re going to see when you’re there – some of you have been there – you’re going to see women, young people, standing in the middle, in front of a damn tank, saying, "I’m not leaving",' Biden said in a speech to the 82nd Airborne Division.

Biden's mention of 'when you're there' seem to suggest that the troops would be deployed across the border, but the administration insisted there has been no change in stance.

'The president has been clear we are not sending U.S. troops to Ukraine and there is no change in that position,' a White House spokesperson told Fox News on Friday.

Biden has persistently said that troops would not be sent into Ukraine under any circumstances during Putin's invasion, fearing it would turn into World War Three and end up becoming a lengthy combat mission like in Afghanistan. 

Biden also talked about his late son Beau and thanked the paratroopers for their service in the during the remarks in Rzeszów.

The president recalled when he went to Iraq in 2009 to visit Beau, who was stationed there as part of his service in the Delaware National Guard, he discovered his son was using the last name Hunter.

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The White House was forced to clarify on Friday that American troops would not be going into Ukraine after President Biden appeared to make a slip in his speech to paratroopers in Poland

'You’re going to see when you’re there – some of you have been there – you’re going to see women, young people, standing in the middle, in front of a damn tank, saying, "I’m not leaving".' Biden's mention of 'you're there' seem to suggest that the troops would be deployed across the border, but the administration insisted there has been no change in stance

Biden said asked what was going on. Beau told his dad that the name 'Biden' could be a hassle where he was, and so was instead going by 'Hunter.'

Hunter was the maiden name of Beau's mother, who died in a car crash in 1972. It's also the name of his younger brother, the president's only living son Hunter.

Biden regularly mentions his late son when he visits service members. And Thursday's trip to visit the 82nd Airborne Division he deployed to Europe during Russia's invasion of the Ukraine was no exception.

The president ate pizza and took selfies during his visit.

'You are the finest fighting force in the world and that's not hyperbole,' Biden said before sitting down on a folding chair to eat.

'Don’t stop eating because of me,' he said when he walked into the cafeteria and saw the paratroopers munching on the pie provided by the White House.

Biden also visited the barber shop, where one of the service men suggested that maybe Biden should finish the haircut. Biden laughed and said that was the last thing the young man would want.

And he made jokes with the division that specializes in parachute assault operations.

'Don't jump. You guys are used to jumping. Don't jump. Anyway, thanks for letting me come to say hello to you all,' he told the room full of service members.

He praised them for their duty, telling them they upheld the values seen in the American Declaration of Independence.

'You know, we're a unique country in many ways. And we are the only country, the only country in the world not organized based on geography, ethnicity, raced or anything else. We're based on idea. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all women and men are created equal. Sounds corny, it's the truth of who we are,' he said.

Biden was joined by Polish President Andrzej Duda, at one point reaching along a table to grab his hand and explain that a 'pizza pie' with hot peppers was making him cough

Biden says he was told he couldn't cross the border into Ukraine and refers to invasion and civilian courage as 'Tiananmen Square squared' 

During a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda later on Friday, he  reached for new words and analogies to find ways to try to describe the horrors Ukrainians are facing Thursday – comparing blown out landscapes to something 'out of a science fiction movie.'

After landing in Rzeszow near the Ukrainian border, Biden also spoke to the bravery of Ukrainian citizens rising up to try to counter the Russian invasion,' comparing them to protesters who resisted a Chinese government crackdown.

At an event where he was briefed on efforts to coordinate the humanitarian response, Biden spoke of the 'courage and passion for resilience of the Ukrainian people.'

'When you see a 30-year old woman standing there in front of a tank with a rifle. I mean, talk about what happened in Tiananmen Square? This is Tiananmen Square, squared,' Biden said. 

He was referencing the iconic 1989 image where a lone man stood in front of a tank to try to stop the government crackdown.

There have been similar scenes in Ukraine, where ordinary citizens used their bodies and and personal appeals to try to stop Russian armor – even as Ukrainian troops take a toll of their by blowing up Russian equipment with arms provided by the U.S. and allies.

'It's like something out of a science fiction movie': President Joe Biden described some of the horrific images emerging from Ukraine

Forgetting numbers, confusing Libya and Syria, calling Kamala 'president' and hot mic blunders: Biden's gaffes that have raised health concerns

As the oldest person ever sworn in to the White House, President Joe Biden has faced questions and concerns over his mental as well as physical acuity since taking one one of the most stressful jobs in the world.

But aside from his advanced age, Biden, 79, has worried even supporters with numerous gaffes over the year he's been in office.

Most recently, Rep. Ronny Jackson pointed out in a letter demanding Biden take a cognitive test that one of the first signs of Alzheimer's Disease is erratic changes in mood or personality.

January 24, 2022 - Biden calls Peter Doocy a 'stupid son of a b*****'

'You displayed this type of mood change during a cabinet meeting on when you apparently did not know your microphone was on after finishing your opening remarks, and you called a White House reporter a 'stupid son of a b****'in response to a question asked on inflation,' Jackson claimed.

He was referring to a hot mic moment in late January during which Biden criticized Fox News reporter Peter Doocy, after which the president personally apologized to the journalist. 

Biden has also been known to have trouble with the names of his most senior officials, foreign leaders and even countries. 

At last year's G7 in June, the president bungled the names of Syria and Libya multiple times when discussing security efforts with Russia. The White House was later forced to issue a clarification.

Another embarrassing foreign policy faux pas occurred in September 2021, when Biden appeared to forget the name of Australia's prime minister -- who was appearing via video link right beside him. 

While announcing a historic security deal between the UK, US and Australia, Biden told Britain's Boris Johnson, 'Thank you, Boris,' before turning to Australia's Scott Morrison and saying: 'And I want to thank that fella down under. Thank you very much pal.'

Biden has seemingly even struggled with names of people he speaks to more regularly. He gave a speech marking International Women's Day in March of last year, during which he was promoting two female officers to four-star generals.

March 8, 2022   - Slipping and forgetting Lloyd Austin's name 

The president slipped up during the March 8 speech while trying to remember Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's name.

'I want to thank Sec-, the former general, I keep calling him 'General.' My - the guy who runs that outfit over there,' Biden said, before quickly adding, 'I want to make sure we thank the secretary for all he's done.'

A trip to Texas that same month to visit a Houston-area vaccination center saw Biden apparently lose his train of thought and become confused. He even asked, 'What am I doing here?' while trying to get himself back on track. 

On multiple occasions Biden has also appeared to refer to Vice President Kamala Harris as the 'president.' During a commencement speech at South Carolina State University in late December, Biden remarked: 'Of course, President Harris is a proud Howard alum.'

He made the mistake again more recently, declaring during a voting rights speech in Georgia on January 11 that 'President Harris and I stood on the United States Capitol.'

Biden has been known to get dates confused as well -- in May 2021 he recalled traveling via Amtrak to see his mother while he was vice president in 2013. But his mother had died in 2010.  

The apparent issues began long before Biden took the White House. When he was on the campaign trail in September 2020, then-candidate Biden was widely mocked for saying '200 million people have died' from COVID-19 under Donald Trump's watch. The number was around 200,000 at the time.

And while president, Biden had to be corrected on a statistic regarding COVID-19 vaccinations. During a COVID-19 White House press conference, Biden attempted to say, '57… excuse me… 570… I don't want to read it, I'm not sure I got the right number…' Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci aided him to say the figure was '57 million.'

 Confusing Libya and Syria 

'I'm hopeful that we can find an accommodation where we can save the lives of people in — for example, in — in Libya,' the president said, mentioning the north African country for the third time instead of Syria, in the Middle East. Biden is pictured in Cornwall, United Kingdom on June 13

The White House later brushed the confusion off, confirming that it was indeed, Syria, the country where Russia and the US have been involved in a decade-long civil war, which the president was referring to

Biden repeatedly confused Syria with Libya while discussing ways of working with Russia during a press conference at the G7 on June 13.

The 78-year-old gaffe machine spoke of working with Russian President Vladimir Putin to provide economic assistance to the people of Libya, prompting some confused glances from the press pack at the G7 summit in Cornwall, England.

'I'm hopeful that we can find an accommodation where we can save the lives of people in — for example, in — in Libya,' the president said, mentioning the north African country for the third time instead of Syria, which is in the Middle East. The White House later brushed the confusion off, confirming that the president was indeed referring to Syria, the country where Russia and the US have been involved in a decade-long civil war.

Tripping while climbing the Air Force One stairs

Over the years, President Joe Biden has made numerous gaffes and mix-ups and has even been caught falling. Pictured: Biden falling while walking up the stairs of Air Force One on March 19

On March 19, he was caught tripping up the stairs as he boarded Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews

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On March 19, video captured Biden tripping up the stairs as he boarded Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews. 

In the clip, Biden stumbles as he walks up the airstairs. He grabs the hand railing to catch his balance, but then loses his footing two additional times.

During the third stumble, he falls to his knees. However, after brushing off his leg, he reaches the top of the plane and gives a salute before disappearing inside.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later told reporters that Biden was '100 percent fine' and preparing for his trip in Atlanta. 

'It's pretty windy outside. It's very windy. I almost fell coming up the steps myself,' she said. 

Just one day earlier, during a press conference on March 18 (pictured), he referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as 'President Harris'

Just one day earlier, Biden accidentally referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as 'President Harris.'

The gaffe occurred during a press conference on March 18, during which he lauded his administration for being close to meeting their goal of 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office.

'Now when President Harris and I took a virtual tour of a vaccination center in Arizona not long ago, one of the nurses on that, on that tour injecting people, giving vaccinations, said that each shot was like administering a dose of hope,' Biden said.

Harris was standing behind Biden as the president carried on with his speech, but did not correct himself.

Later that day, when the White House released the transcript of his speech, Harris's proper title was inserted with brackets.

On March 9, while making a speech, Biden seemed to forget the name of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (above)

In a speech on March 9, Biden seemed to fumble with his words and forget the name of his Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

'I want to thank Sec - the former general - I keep calling him 'General,'' Biden said.

'My - the guy who runs that outfit over there. I want to make sure we thank the Secretary for all he's done to try to implement what we've just talked about, and for recommending these two women for promotion.'  The slip-occurred despite the fact that just a few minutes earlier, he had mentioned Austin's name in the speech without an issue.

On Election Day, in November, Biden introduced a crowd to his granddaughter, but referred to her as his son

During an Election Day speech in Philadelphia, Biden stumbled over his words and confused his granddaughter with his late son, Beau Biden. 

Biden told the crowd: 'I want to introduce you to two of my granddaughters...this is my son, Beau Biden who a lot of you helped elect to the Senate in Delaware.'

The commander-in-chief had meant to introduce the crowed to Natalie, Beau's daughter, but hadn't just mixed up the name but the person - he also put his arm around Finnegan Biden, Hunter's daughter.

He finally corrected himself as he draped his arm around Natalie's shoulder and said: 'This is Natalie, this is Beau's daughter.'  

Beau Biden passed away in 2015 after a months-long battle with glioblastoma, one of the deadliest types of brain cancer. 

TOLD STATE SENATOR IN WHEELCHAIR TO STAND UP

In 2008, Biden told then-Missouri state senator Chuck Graham to stand up for the crowd at a rally, before realizing he was in a wheelchair

Not all of Biden's gaffes occurred in the 2020s or even the 2010s. In fact, some happened in the early aughts.

In September 2008, after Biden had been named former President Barack Obama's running mate, he attended a campaign rally in Missouri.

It was there that he called on then-Missouri state senator Chuck Graham, who passed away last year. to stand up for the crowd.

'I'm told Chuck Graham, state senator, is here. Stand up Chuck, let 'em see you,' Biden said.

It was at that moment he realized Graham was in a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy.

'Oh, God love you. What am I talking about. I'll tell you what, you're making everybody else stand up, though, pal.'

According to the Columbia Tribune, Graham said he was never offended by the mistake.        

The president cited UN figures saying 12 million Ukrainians need assistance, with thousands of civilian casualties since the invasion a month ago. 

'Hundreds of thousands of people are being cut off from health by Russian forces and are being besieged in places like Mariupol. I mean, it's not stopping. It's like something out of a science fiction movie. Turn on the television and see what these towns look like, and cities,' he said.

He spoke on a day when new video emerged of the destruction inside a theater in Mariupol, where Ukrainian authorities said 300 people had died in the Russian attack. Images after the building was struck show Ukrainian women and children covered in dust trying to leave the once stately building. 

Biden also spoke Friday to members of the storied 182nd Airborne Division – lauding troops for both assisting in relief and helping protect NATO's eastern flank amid. The administration says officials are preparing for 'contingencies' should Russia try attack NATO territory to try to stop efforts to arm the Ukrainians.

Biden alluded to his many past trips to war zones, some during his decades as a senator. 

The war has brought devastation on Kiev and other cities. Firefighters work at a factory destroyed after it was hit by Russian shelling in Chaiky district of Kyiv, Ukraine on 24 March, 2022

Black smoke rises from a fuel storage of the Ukrainian army following a Russian attack, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, March 25, 2022

'When you see a 30-year old woman standing there in front of a tank with a rifle. I mean, talk about what happened in Tiananmen Square? This is Tiananmen Square, squared,' Biden said of the Ukraine invasion  

'Quite frankly, part of my disappointment is that I can't see it firsthand like I have in other places. They will not let me understandably I guess cross the border and take a look at what’s going on in Ukraine,' he said.

Biden does plan to meet with Ukrainian refugees here in Warsaw on Friday.

Biden was joined by Polish President Andrzej Duda, at one point reaching along a table to grab his hand and explain that a 'pizza pie' with hot peppers was making him cough.

Duda, who suffered an apparent aircraft mishap earlier in the day, thanked U.S. troops for providing security and U.S.-based NGOs who were aiding relief efforts. He called the estimated 2 million Ukrainian refugees in his country 'guests.'

Of U.S. troops, he said: 'They are guarding the security of the Polish border and guarding the security also of the entire European community. 

In images from the start of the invasion, Ukrainians were filmed blocking Russian armor while screaming 'invaders, killers' and ordering them to stop. One video showed a group of fearless Ukrainians leaping on a Russian military vehicle while waving blue and yellow flags.

A second piece of footage from Kupiansk, near Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv, appears to show at least 30 Ukrainians running and jumping on a Russian armoured vehicle - with one man attempting to smash in the windscreen