Joe Biden accused of showing 'lack of respect' by leaving of Medal of Honor ceremony early
President Joe Biden has found himself in the eye of a storm after hastily exiting a Medal of Honour ceremony held at the White House, leaving an esteemed war hero standing awkwardly alone on the stage.
The US leader, 80, wasted no time in departing the East Room after bestowing the country's highest military honour upon 81-year-old Larry Taylor, a retired Army Captain celebrated for his valor during the Vietnam War.
As the medal was pinned to Mr Taylor's lapel, he couldn't hold back his tears, but Mr Biden appeared less emotional as it has been reported that he was already making his way to the door before the closing benediction was read.
While many were quick to voice their fury, some speculated that the Commander-in-Chief's swift departure might have been an attempt to shine the spotlight on the veteran.
But even so, the President's swift departure inadvertently led to an uncomfortable moment where the elderly vet was left alone on stage.
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Joe Biden hastily left the stage leaving the war veteran standing there (Image: AP)
This incident followed earlier criticism of Mr Biden for briefly removing his mask just moments before greeting Mr Taylor, despite First Lady Jill Biden having tested positive for Covid-19 the previous day.
The President's hasty exit is just the latest in a series of incidents that have caused many to label him as disrespectful towards the troops.
Notably, there was a notorious moment when he repeatedly checked his watch during a ceremony honoring soldiers killed in an ISIS-K suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, back in 2021.
Mr Taylor, the retired Army Captain, was being honored for his bravery during the Vietnam War.
Some said the President was just trying to give the veteran the spotlight with his quick departure (Image: X / RNCResearch)
In June 1968, he put his life on the line to rescue a squadron surrounded by enemy forces and as a helicopter pilot, he courageously flew through a hail of gunfire while strafing ground troops for nearly an hour.
When he started running low on ammunition, Mr Taylor descended into the battlefield and successfully extracted the foot soldiers, saving them from certain death.
Yet, while the Vietnam vet was understandably overwhelmed with emotion as the medal was pinned to his lapel, Mr Biden's demeanor appeared far less affected by the moment.
Military veterans who attended the ceremony were quick to condemn Mr Biden's abrupt exit, arguing that it displayed a brazen lack of respect for the veteran.
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Former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan minced no words, exclaiming: "Pardon my French… But what a f***ing idiot. The continuous lack of respect Biden has for anyone is appalling."
Online, one daughter of a deceased colonel interred at Arlington Cemetery condemned Biden for "leaving (Taylor) alone on the stage".
She concluded: "He hates our military."
"What is it with Biden? He keeps on showing disrespect to our men and women in uniform," another shocked observer wrote, adding: "Here, he left a Medal of Honor recipient alone on the stage as he made a beeline for the exit. There's nothing honorable about this President."
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