On Monday, US President Joe Biden had a root canal at the White House, delegating a luncheon for collegiate athletes to Vice President Kamala Harris and postponing a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
The octogenarian underwent the initial treatment on Sunday and had the work completed on Monday afternoon after feeling “further discomfort,” according to presidential doctor Kevin O’Connor in a letter made public.
Biden was not sedated and the 25th Amendment was not invoked, according to his press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who added that he was back at work at the mansion.
From the 2022-2023 season, Harris took over College Athlete Day on the South Lawn, hosting the winners of the men’s and women’s NCAA championships. Biden’s meeting with Stoltenberg and a reception for mission chiefs have been rescheduled for Tuesday.
“I cannot speak to the health of the president’s teeth,” Jean-Pierre remarked.
Biden is the oldest person to be sworn in as President of the United States, having turned 78 just two months before his inauguration. The White House has dismissed all worries about his physical and mental clarity, saying that he is in superb health.
While the root canal provided an excuse for some US newspapers to debate Biden’s predilection for fast food and sweets, particularly ice cream, it comes at a time when Washington’s partners in Europe are waiting to learn who will be appointed to lead NATO next.
“Europe is waiting for white smoke from Washington,” Politico said on Monday, stressing that the White House’s support carries a lot of weight even if the military alliance nominally runs on consensus.
Stoltenberg has led NATO since October 2014, after losing his re-election campaign as Norway’s prime minister the year before. His four-year term was extended in 2018, and again in 2022, citing the situation in Ukraine. However, it is slated to expire in September, and Stoltenberg has stated that he will not seek another extension. Biden has yet to indicate a preferred replacement.
