Bumbling Biden, 81, insists he’s hasn’t spoken to the Federal Reserve Chairman as president… even though they’ve sat in the same room

President Joe Biden stressed Thursday that he has not spoken to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell since being sworn in.

“And by the way, I’ve never spoken to the chairman of the Fed since I’ve been president,” the 81-year-old falsely claimed.

There are photos of Powell with Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in the Oval Office from 2022.

Biden made the dubious comment during a discussion of the Federal Reserve’s decision on Wednesday to cut interest rates.

“Yesterday was a significant day for the country, in my opinion,” Biden said, noting the drop in interest rates. “I think that’s good news for consumers and it means the cost of buying a home or a car and much more is going to come down.”

President Joe Biden (R) meets with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell (L) in the Oval Office on May 31, 2022

“And it’s good news for the economy as a whole, in my opinion, because lower borrowing costs will stimulate economic growth,” Biden continued.

When asked about this claim during Thursday’s White House press briefing, Jared Bernstein, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, said Biden meant “he hasn’t spoken to Chairman Powell about interest rates.”

“He never pressured him,” Bernstein added.

The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by half a percentage point, an unusually large cut.

Biden said it would continue to fight inflation.

The move angered MAGA supporters among Republicans, who called it “election meddling,” saying it could give Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris a boost in November if Americans believe the economy is healthier.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, claimed the Fed is “playing politics.”

“I think it shows that the economy is in very bad shape, to cut it that much, assuming they’re not just playing politics,” he said at an event in New York. “The economy would be in very bad shape, or they’re playing politics. But it was a big cut.”

Those statements were likely a reason for Biden to show that there is distance between the White House and the Federal Reserve.

During his speech at the Economic Club of Washington, Biden stressed that the rate cut “does not mean our job is done.”

“Far from it, far from it,” he said. “Nobody should get confused while I’m here. I’m not here to do a victory lap. I’m not here to say I did a good job. I’m not here to say we don’t have a lot more to do. We have more work to do.”

“But what I’m here to talk about is how far we’ve come, how we got here and, more importantly, the foundation that I think we’ve laid for a more prosperous and fairer future in America,” the president continued.

“Let’s be clear, the Fed cutting rates is not a declaration of victory, it’s a declaration of progress,” he added. “It’s a signal that we’re entering a new phase of our economy in our recovery.”