Biden, 81, sparks fresh health fears by staring blankly ahead as confident Kamala Harris takes lead while meeting Americans freed from Russian prisons

President Joe Biden has sparked new health concerns after he was captured on camera staring blankly into space as his vice president presided over a historic prisoner swap between the United States and Russia.

The 81-year-old commander in chief appeared to look into the distance as Vice President Kamala Harris made a noncommittal statement to a reporter Thursday night.

Biden moved only once during his post-midnight appearance, apparently to scratch his head.

“This guy isn’t here,” Juanita Broaddrick posted on Xand share the video.

“Joe Biden is gone,” Nick Sortor added. ‘Absolutely gone. This is pathetic.’

Nick Sortor shared the video and wrote that ‘Joe Biden is gone’

Broaddrick, who accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual assault in 1978, has been an ally of former President Trump since Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2016.

Biden’s “deer in the headlights” moment came a month after he told Democratic governors he would no longer hold events after 8 p.m. so he could get more sleep.

The late-night schedule adjustment came after Axios reported that its employees had already been working a short 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. workday, with an afternoon nap.

Biden, who was desperately trying to stay in the race for president at the time, told governors “he had told his staff he needed to get more sleep,” the New York Times reported.

Biden insisted he needed to ‘work fewer hours and avoid events after 8 p.m.’

Biden moved only once as Harris spoke, apparently to scratch his head

The vice president has taken on a more prominent position in the administration since Biden announced he was withdrawing from the race for the presidency

Meanwhile, the 59-year-old Vice President praised Biden’s efforts to bring home Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan.

“I am deeply grateful to the president for what he has done throughout his career, but particularly with respect to these families and individuals, what he has done to bring allies together in many areas, but particularly in this case,” Harris said.

“This is just an extraordinary testament to how important it is to have a president who understands the power of diplomacy and realizes the power of understanding the importance of diplomacy,” she continued.

Stuttering at times and seemingly tripping over her words, the Democrat added: “[A]and strengthening alliances.

“This is just an incredible day,” she finally concluded, as the president looked on.

Harris stumbled as she tried to praise the president for bringing home ex-Marine Paul Whelan, left, and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich

Harris has taken on a more prominent position in the administration since Biden announced he was withdrawing from the presidential race and backing his vice president to take over his position.

The decision came after weeks of concerns about his mental health following a disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump.

Many medical experts have suggested that Biden’s cognitive decline may be due to Parkinson’s disease, which he has. This is largely due to the fact that a doctor specializing in the disease has been a frequent visitor to the White House during Biden’s tenure.

Dr Ernst von Schwarz, a cardiologist in California, told DailyMail.com that Biden’s “dry mouth, fixed gaze, very little… hand movement and gestures… could be signs of cognitive decline” caused by his age, or “a neurodegenerative condition” such as dementia.

But it could also be due to medications, he said.

“Keep in mind that there are ways to improve someone’s speech through medical interventions,” the doctor noted.

‘The use of medications such as psychostimulants (such as Adderall or Ritalin) is very common for many people just before a lecture, presentation or official task, because they increase the availability of dopamine in the brain.’

Harris is seen here greeting the wrongly jailed Wall Street Journal reporter just before midnight

Meanwhile, Harris has a dominant position in the presidential raceleading in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin.

Amid her growing popularity, Harris was spotted Gershkovich, a 32-year-old WSJ reporter, and Whelan, a 54-year-old former Marine, when they landed safely at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva was also released. She was sentenced to more than six years in a Russian prison in a swift and secret trial at the end of last month.

On Thursday, she was seen running into the arms of her family after hugging both Kamal Harris and Joe Biden as they exited the plane.

But it was Whelan who disembarked first, followed by Gershkovich and then Kurmasheva. All three were seen shaking hands with Harris and Biden before running blissfully into the arms of their respective families.

After the festivities, the three were allowed to board another plane to San Antonio, where they will be examined by doctors and allowed to return home.