Biden denies involvement in son Hunter's China deals
President Biden on Wednesday denied being involved in his son Hunter's China deals.
A new report suggests that President Joe Biden is prone to yelling at White House aides behind closed doors and roping them in for "angry interrogations."
Citing multiple administration officials, the account of Biden's interaction with staff clashes with the media's frequent characterizations of the president as a jovial Grandpa that adores soft-serve ice cream and aviator sunglasses.
Hidden from public view, Biden allegedly has such a "quick-trigger temper" that some White House aides try to avoid meeting him one-on-one.
"Some take a colleague, almost as a shield against a solo blast," according to current and former Biden aides.
President Joe Biden speaks with members of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, June 28, 2023. ((AP Photo/Andrew Harnik))
Biden's dressing-down of staff often includes profane condemnation, including phrases such as "God dammit, how the f—k don't you know this?!," "Don't f—king bullsh-t me!" and "Get the f—k out of here!"
Instead of "erratic tantrums," Biden's outbursts typically come in the form of "angry interrogations" where he presses both senior and lower-level until it becomes clear to others in the room that they don't know the answer to a question. The tactic has become so frequent that staff have named it "stump the chump."
"No one is safe," one administration official said.
Ted Kaufman, Biden's former chief of staff from his time in the Senate, said that Biden's meticulous approach to finding missing details in his briefs is not meant to "embarrass" people but rather promote better decisions.
"Most people who have worked for him like the fact that he challenges them and gets them to a better decision," he said.
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President Biden's temper has sometimes emerged while speaking with reporters and voters. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
Aides that spoke for the report attempted to put a positive spin on the complicated portrayal of Biden as a leader, noting that being yelled at by the president has become somewhat of an "initiation ceremony" for White House newbies.
"If Biden doesn't yell at you, it could be a sign he doesn't respect you," the report proposes.
Other aides claim that Biden's tendency to yell and incise is indicative of his high expectations. Sometimes administration officials, who are used to the overly descriptive speaking of elite schools, struggle to begin "speaking Biden." The special skill requires aides to ditch their "wonky" language and speak as though they were talking to a close family member outside the D.C. bureaucratic bubble.
"It can take years to learn to navigate his moodiness and anticipate what information he's going to ask for in a briefing," the report adds.
Speaking with Axios, former Biden campaign and Senate Aide Jeff Connaughton said Biden "hides his sharper edge to promote his folksy Uncle Joe image — which is why, when flashes of anger break through, it seems so out of public character."
President Biden has often been painted as an upbeat and docile leader who enjoys ice cream and spending time with his grandchildren. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Connaughton has previously written about Biden's frequent rages, at one point describing him as an "egomaniacal autocrat" adamant to "manage his staff through fear."
Flickers of Biden's anger have trickled out into public view from time to time.
In late June, Biden berated a reporter who asked if the president was involved in his son Hunter Biden's business negotiations with a Chinese company.
"No, I wasn't, and I don't —" Biden began.
"Were you?" New York Post reporter Steven Nelson pressed.
"No!" Biden shouted in response.
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Biden has been hostile to the press on multiple occasions throughout his presidency. He has called a reporter a "kid," often talks down to members of the media, called NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell a "pain in the neck" in the Oval Office for a question about a vaccine mandate for Veterans Affairs and once called Fox News' Peter Doocy a "stupid son of a b----."
The White House did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
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