President Joe Biden faced backlash on Monday after once again leaving a press conference without taking questions from reporters following his statement on the collapse of two major U.S. banks over the weekend.
The failures of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in California on Friday and Signature Bank in New York on Sunday left Americans shaken and in need of answers, yet the president opted to walk away after a mere five minutes at the podium.
As reporters called out for clarity on the aftermath of the banks’ collapse and whether other banks might be at risk, Biden exited the stage, leaving the nation in the dark.
The shocking silence from the White House after what has been dubbed the “second-largest bank collapse” in history sparked outrage on Twitter.
Critics were quick to condemn the president’s dismissive behavior. Trending Politics co-owner Collin Rugg warned, “We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera. Brace for impact.
You get what you vote for.” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., expressed her disbelief, tweeting, “The second largest bank collapse in US history occurred and Joe Biden can’t answer any questions about it. Unreal.”
Others were less surprised by the president’s evasion. Podcast host Monica Crowley commented, “Biden speaking meaninglessly for like 2 minutes on the bank collapses and then bolting without taking questions is peak Biden twaddle.”
The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller remarked, “Amazing how the camera just pans back to an empty podium after the old man shuffles himself right out of the room.” He continued, “The guy is a part time president. 3 days a week giving a 5 minute statement and then back off to Delaware.”
Before leaving, Biden attempted to frame the bank collapse within a broader context of economic growth, touting the creation of more than 12 million new jobs, unemployment below 4% for 14 straight months, and a record number of new business applications.
However, these reassurances rang hollow as the American people were left to grapple with the implications of the bank collapses and the potential for a ripple effect through the financial system.
As Biden continues to avoid addressing the concerns of the nation, it’s apparent that the American people deserve a leader who will face challenges head-on and provide transparent communication during times of crisis. With each evasion, the president’s credibility is further eroded, and the trust of the people he was elected to serve continues to slip away.