The White House faced widespread ridicule and a barrage of memes after announcing that President Joe Biden would hold a "big boy" press conference as part of the three-day NATO summit starting in Washington, DC. The term "big boy," originally coined by Bloomberg journalist Justin Sink and subsequently repeated by White House officials Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby, quickly went viral, leading to mockery and memes, including one featuring Biden on a baby diaper packet.
This incident followed Biden's contentious debate with Republican rival Donald Trump and ongoing accusations that the President is being shielded from spontaneous media interactions. Bloomberg journalist Justin Sink initially used the term when questioning the White House's approach to limiting Biden's exposure after his poor performance in the first presidential debate on June 27 in Atlanta, Georgia. In response, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre assured that Biden would hold a "solo" press conference, prompting Sink to inquire if it would be a "real, big boy press conference." Jean-Pierre humorously affirmed, "Yeah, I was about to say 'big boy' Justin over here is asking some big boy questions."
The phrase gained further traction when White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby repeated it, coinciding with calls for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Kirby reiterated, "The president will hold a press conference, I guess a big boy press conference is what we're calling it."
This characterization of Biden's press conference went viral, generating memes and criticism online. Sky News Host Gabriella Power suggested that the Biden administration was undermining its credibility with voters, while another host, Danica De Giorgio, mockingly commented on Biden's perceived infantilization. Critics and right-wing commentators, including former Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer, labeled the phrase "unbecoming" and "pathetic," accusing the White House of treating Biden "like a toddler."
Despite the controversy, Kirby reassured that NATO leaders were not questioning Biden's fitness for office. Biden, meanwhile, has reaffirmed his commitment to remain in the race during recent speeches and interviews, despite public and private calls from Democratic members of the House for him to step down. These concerns are echoed by party donors and a significant portion of the electorate, as indicated by post-debate polls.
