Most of the time, when I ask Americans whether they think Biden is in charge of running the United States on a daily basis, they laugh.

President Biden, or what’s left of him, sauntered through a White House TV studio on Tuesday afternoon, making his way to a tiny desk that appeared as though it had been put on clearance at IKEA for six weeks. He then babbled on about “investing in America,” ignoring press questions with an odd smile on his face.

This meticulously orchestrated spectacle conveyed a very clear message that had nothing to do with the state of the economy. If anything, Joseph Robinette Biden is no longer, if ever, in charge of the nation, and that is the true message that cannot be disregarded.

Later in the day, Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, emphasised that the president is making every effort to achieve the cease-fire in Gaza, which Biden consistently claims is imminent. In reality, for the past week, we have all been watching Biden in Delaware, lying on the sand like a beached whale.

At the White House event, President Biden smiles and ignores the press asking questions for a full minute.

The most common response I receive from Americans nationwide when I enquire about their belief that Biden oversees the day-to-day affairs of the United States of America is frank, drawn-out laughing.

When it comes to whether or to what extent the particular person behind the Resolute Desk matters, that’s where the views diverge. Is the president only a manager, gently guiding the work of career experts who are not elected, or is the president a CEO, whose creativity and acumen count?

I was reminded of a story about former President Trump by your query.

In 2018, while attending the Army War College’s National Security Seminar, I heard a diplomat who had worked for both Presidents Trump and Barack Obama. This person was asked if, following the apparent overnight shift in U.S. policy by then-President Trump, the phones at embassies ever ring off the hook.

Without raising any questions, Biden laughs and smiles as the press is led out of the oval office.

The diplomat laughed and acknowledged that such incidents did occur, but they also said that Trump had the capacity to break out from the diplomatic ruts in ways that were advantageous. Occasionally, even frequently, diplomacy may become mired in situations where parties choose to take the easiest route.

Evidence of this was evident when Trump removed Iranian terrorist Qassem Soliemani, relocated the US embassy to Jerusalem, and allegedly threatened to nuke Moscow in the event that Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.

Trump, alone, took these decisions; no mysterious group of powerful men and women met someplace to keep things as they are.