President Joe Biden’s apparent confusion over a key executive order left Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson questioning the president’s mental fitness and fearing for the nation’s future. The incident occurred during an Oval Office meeting in early 2024, where Biden seemed unaware he had signed an order freezing new liquid natural gas (LNG) export permits—a decision that had far-reaching economic and geopolitical consequences.
The troubling exchange, described by Johnson in an interview with Bari Weiss for the Free Press, paints a chilling picture of a president who, at 81, appeared incapable of recalling critical actions taken under his own leadership.
“I walked out of that meeting with fear and loathing because I thought, ‘We are in serious trouble—who is running the country?’” Johnson said.
During the meeting, Johnson pressed Biden on the order, which paused LNG export permits to European allies—a move he argued bolstered Vladimir Putin’s war machine by forcing Europe to rely on Russian energy. For Louisiana, a state responsible for 61% of U.S. LNG exports in 2023, the decision had devastating economic implications.
“Why would you do that? You understand we just talked about Ukraine, you understand you are fueling Vladimir Putin’s war machine,” Johnson told the president.
To Johnson’s astonishment, Biden denied issuing the order. “I didn’t do that,” Biden reportedly said. Johnson reiterated that the decision was having catastrophic effects on both national security and his state’s economy. Only after prolonged prodding did Biden seem to recall signing the order, justifying it as necessary to “study the effects of the fuel.”
Johnson, however, remained unconvinced. “I don’t think he was lying. I genuinely believe he didn’t know what he had signed,” he said.
The episode is just one of many alarming signs of Biden’s cognitive decline that have come to light. A bombshell December report revealed that White House staff had been concealing Biden’s mental struggles since the start of his presidency. As early as January 2021, aides had restructured his schedule to minimize public gaffes and limit in-person interactions. Despite these efforts, Biden’s mental lapses became increasingly evident over time.
The president’s decline came to a head during a disastrous 2024 debate performance against President-elect Donald Trump. Biden froze mid-sentence, gave incoherent answers, and frequently lost his train of thought, leaving even his staunchest defenders shaken. Days later, he announced he would not seek re-election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris instead. Harris went on to suffer a crushing defeat to Trump in November.
The implications of Biden’s mental decline extend far beyond one troubling meeting with Speaker Johnson. The question of who truly ran the country during Biden’s term looms large, as aides and advisors appear to have wielded unprecedented influence over key decisions.
Speaker Johnson reveals that Biden had NO clue about a crucial executive order he signed.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 18, 2025
Johnson asked Biden “why?” And Biden basically replied, “I didn’t do that…”
This is chilling. He’s either that demented or he WASN’T running the country.
pic.twitter.com/I5adc7xgjL
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