Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has demanded a “proof of life appearance” by US President Joe Biden as the 81-year-old has not been seen in public since contracting Covid-19 last week.
Boebert’s demand comes after Biden unexpectedly announced via social media on Sunday that he would be dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and would be endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to represent the Democratic Party in November. The written announcement sparked concerns over Biden’s health, given that the message wasn’t accompanied by any photos or videos of the president.
Read more: Biden drops out of Presidential race, endorses Kamala Harris as successor
In a series of posts on X on Monday, Boebert demanded that Biden provide “proof of life” by 5pm that day, saying the president “needs to get in front of some cameras and discuss if he’s aware that he dropped out.”
“Hiding is completely unacceptable,” Boebert wrote.
Throughout the day, the congresswoman reiterated her demand several times, including in a comment to a post by political activist Charlie Kirk, who reported an unconfirmed rumor he attributed to the Las Vegas police department that Biden may be dead or dying.
According to Kirk’s information, the president allegedly experienced an undisclosed medical emergency in Las Vegas last Wednesday before abruptly canceling a campaign event and urgently traveling to Delaware. “Apparently the rumor mill in the police department was that Joe Biden was dying or possibly already dead,” Kirk wrote, urging people to look deeper into the story.
Read more: US Republicans’ vice-presidential candidate challenges Kamala Harris for debate
Meanwhile, Biden’s team has said the president is successfully recovering from the virus, with Vice President Kamala Harris claiming that he is “feeling much better.” White House doctor Kevin O’Connor has also written a letter stating that Biden had completed his tenth dose of PAXLOVID and that his symptoms had almost completely resolved.
“His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal. His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear. The president continues to perform all of his presidential duties,” Dr O’Connor wrote.
Boebert, however, has dismissed the statements, arguing that “a letter from a doctor is not proof of life,” and demanded that the US president prove to the American people that he is still alive.