President Biden bizarrely bit three babies as he greeted them at his final Halloween party at the White House on Wednesday night. In a series of awkward interactions, the 81-year-old made playful "chomping" gestures at one baby after another, even with one little one dressed up as a chicken.
He was seen playfully biting the leg of a baby dressed as a chicken, pretending to chomp the toe of a child in an ice cream cone costume, and gently nibbling at another baby wearing a blue dress. Known for his playful interactions with kids at public events, Biden was joined by his wife Jill dressed in an entire panda suit.
Biden Frightens Babies
As shown in a video of the celebration, the baby giggled as the president playfully nibbled on their thigh, timed perfectly with the iconic theme from "Jaws" playing in the background.
The playful display drew mixed reactions on social media. Some people enjoyed the grandfather of seven's cheerful spirit, while others felt the interactions were a bit too personal.
The event theme, Hallo-read, honored First Lady Jill Biden's 40-year teaching career. She gave out copies of the children's book 10 Spooky Pumpkins, while Biden handed out candy with the White House seal and his signature.
In addition to local students and military kids enjoying treats from the First Couple, several staff members also brought their own children for one last Halloween celebration at the White House.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended with his kids, while OMB Director Sholanda Young brought her daughter and received a warm hug from the president. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also joined with her daughter.
Biden took a moment to gently nuzzle the baby of his aide, Ashley Williams, who was being held by longtime staffer and current Deputy Chief of Staff, Annie Tomasini. He spent time happily chatting with the children while handing out sweets, occasionally causing a line of kids to form as they waited their turn.
One boy, dressed as Spider-Man, started dancing to pass the time, as an Air Force band played fittingly spooky music for the event.
Not the First Time
This Halloween event wasn't the first time Biden's playful interactions with children raised eyebrows. Last Thanksgiving, at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, Biden greeted a young girl named Catherine, complimenting her on her "cool" ears.
"What a beautiful name," he said, adding, "That's my mommy's name. How old are you? 17?" he joked, to which Catherine shyly corrected, "Six!"
Earlier in 2023, during a photo opportunity in Finland, Biden pretended to "gobble up" and sniff a young girl in a light-hearted exchange. At the time, he was in Helsinki after the NATO summit in Lithuania, where he also faced criticism for a comment directed at a female Finnish reporter.
Back in 2021, during a Memorial Day speech at a Virginia military base, Biden received backlash for what some found to be a "creepy" comment. Going off-script, he pointed out an elementary school-aged girl in the audience, saying, "I love those barrettes in your hair, man.
"I tell you what, look at her, she looks like she's 19 years old, sitting there like a little lady with her legs crossed."
During a 2020 event in Florida, Biden told a group of young female dancers: "I'm coming back and I want to see these beautiful young ladies, I want to see them dancing when they are four years older too!"
In 2019, he told a 10-year-old girl: "I'll bet you're as bright as you are good-looking."
