President Joe Biden’s public calm demeanor contrasts with a reported “quick-trigger temper” when it comes to his interactions with staffers, according to a recent report.
Axios journalist Alex Thompson revealed that numerous former and current Biden staffers have shared similar accounts of experiencing the president’s outbursts, often filled with curses and profanities.
These tirades have reportedly included lines such as “Get the f–k out of here!” and “God dammit, how the f–k don’t you know this?!” The report suggests that President Biden has a tendency to grill staffers on topics they may be unfamiliar with.
According to the report, being yelled at by Biden has been described by multiple aides as an “initiation” into his administration.
One incident described in the report involved Jeff Zients, who served as Biden’s chief of staff and acted as a Covid czar in 2021. Zients allegedly faced an outburst during a period of Covid test shortages. The Messenger reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
“Speaking Biden” was described as a specific skill by one official, suggesting that it takes time to learn how to navigate the president’s moods and anticipate his information needs during briefings. Some individuals argued that Biden treats his staff like “family,” which may explain why many have worked with him for extended periods of time.
Former Biden chief of staff Ted Kaufman stated, “If there is something that’s not in the brief, he’s going to find it. It’s not to embarrass people, it’s because he wants to get to the right decision. Most people who have worked for him like the fact that he challenges them and gets them to a better decision.”
Biden has faced accusations of having a private temper in the past. In 2022, he was caught on a hot mic referring to Fox News reporter Peter Doocy as a “stupid son of a b–ch.” Additionally, a 2012 book by former aide Jeff Connaughton portrayed the Democrat as an “egomaniacal autocrat” who led through “fear.”