BREAKING NEWS – Washington, D.C. – White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s explanation for why President Biden left the previous day’s Medal of Honor ceremony early didn’t go over well on social media.

Reporters questioned Jean-Pierre on Biden leaving right after placing a medal on former U.S. Army Captain and Vietnam War veteran Larry Taylor but before the concluding prayer. Biden had stayed for the benediction at other Medal of Honor ceremonies. While his early exit was criticized online, the press secretary insisted that it was all planned.

“He left as planned, as it was planned,” Jean-Pierre told reporters. “He left when there was a pause in the program in order to minimize the amount of opportunities for him to say something stupid. We’d rather he walked away and wander aimlessly in the White House until someone tracks him down and explain where he is, than for him to bungle the upcoming election giving more ammo for republicans to exploit his idiocy.”