'Stumbling around in the White House': Secret Service whistleblower says Biden ‘got lost in his closet,’ claims close Trump ally

A Secret Service whistleblower has reportedly told Republican Senator Josh Hawley that Joe Biden would sometimes get lost in his own closet at the White House. The claim, which adds to growing concerns about the former president’s mental sharpness, was shared by Hawley during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

“He told me that Biden used to get lost in his closet in the mornings at the White House,” Hawley said. “I mean, the guy literally stumbling around in the White House residence couldn’t find his way out of his own closet. The president of the United States,” he added.

Hawley, a close ally of Donald Trump and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the information came from a Secret Service agent who had been part of Biden’s detail.

Senator says Biden's mental state may be a major scandal

Hawley used the story to highlight what he called a growing scandal surrounding Biden’s cognitive state while in office. “This is outrageous. We were lied to,” he said.

The White House has not responded to the claim. A spokesperson for Biden did not return a request for comment.

Book reveals deeper concerns about Biden's condition

Questions about Biden’s mental fitness have been around for a while, but they have intensified in recent weeks following the release of Original Sin, a book by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson.

The book includes details from people close to Biden. One story claims aides considered using a wheelchair if he won re-election. Another says Biden did not recognise his longtime friend George Clooney at a fundraising event.

Republicans push for more scrutiny

Republicans in Congress have started investigations into Biden’s mental condition while he was president. Rep. James Comer has raised doubts about the legality of orders signed by an autopen, arguing they might not be valid. However, legal experts have pushed back against that idea.

Biden hits back at critics, then exits race

Biden, 82, who recently revealed he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer, has dismissed the claims. In an interview with CNN, he said sarcastically, “You can see that I’m mentally incompetent, and I can’t walk, and I can beat the hell out of both of them,” referring to the book’s authors.

His mental condition became a central issue in the 2024 election, especially after a poor debate performance in June against Trump. Biden later withdrew from the race, giving Kamala Harris just a few months to campaign as the Democratic nominee.

“I don’t have any regrets,” Biden told CNN. “I think we’re at one of those inflection points in history, where the decisions we make in the next little bit are going to determine what things look like for the next 20 years.”