Joe Biden turns over his ‘final’ Cabinet meeting to Jill Biden. Who’s in charge here, again?

On Friday, First Lady Jill Biden led much of the public portion of what could be President Joe Biden’s final Cabinet meeting. So, remind us exactly who is running the country now?

Jill took charge at her husband’s first Cabinet meeting since October 2023. After a brief introduction from the president, she delivered extended remarks.

‘Jill has joined us…’

The POTUS opened the meeting by discussing the need for Congress to pass a short-term funding bill but quickly turned the focus to his wife. “Before I begin this Cabinet meeting, I want to discuss very briefly the need for Congress to pass a continued resolution. It’s critical, we have 10 days for Congress to pass a short-term funding bill,” he said.

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“We have four months left in the administration, and we’re going to keep running through the tape.”

He then introduced his wife, noting her presence for the first time at a Cabinet meeting. “We’re grateful that Jill is here today — I heard that clapping, it wasn’t for me,” he joked.

“This is the first time Jill has joined us, and it goes to show how important the issue is, which she is about to speak to.” Handing over the floor, Biden concluded with, “It’s all yours, kid.”

Jill Biden, wearing clear-rimmed glasses and reading from prepared notes, focused her remarks on recent women’s health-related initiatives, stating, “In February, ARPA-H, the agency Joe created to pursue breakthrough health research at lightning speed, launched its first ever sprint for women’s health”. Her speech was more than twice as long as the president's comments.

Trump aide wonders ‘Who is running the country?’

Attendees at the meeting received folders of notes featuring both Joe and Jill Biden’s signatures, a detail that sparked online criticism. Steve Cortes, a former adviser to Donald Trump, tweeted, “Wow. A visibly exhausted Joe Biden just held a full Cabinet meeting for the first time in 11 months and immediately turned the mic over to his wife.” He went on to ask, “Who is running the country?”

Former Virginia Congressman Scott Taylor (R) added his voice to the criticism, saying, “First Presidential cabinet meeting in a year and Jill Biden runs it. What the Hell is going on?”

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Jill hosted Rose Garden party without the Prez

Later that day, she gave the cast of The West Wing a tour of the Oval Office and hosted a Rose Garden event without the president present.

Addressing an audience in the Rose Garden during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the NBC series The West Wing, the First Lady spoke from the podium, “The work is hard and the days are long. And yes, there are times when the weight of all we have before us can just feel too heavy to carry.”

“But that’s where the heart lies, where the future is created, side-by-side with our family of true believers.”