Joe Biden struggled to say an acronym for a new infrastructure investment in the Pacific Islands in his latest verbal slip-up.
The US President announced his administration’s $40 million investment in the Pacific Islands Infrastructure Initiative to help the islands combat against climate change.
But he became tongue-tied when he attempted to say the initiative’s acronym at a press conference on Monday.
“We call it the PG- — PI — anyway, it doesn’t matter what we call it, but that’s what it is,” he told reporters, who laughed in response.
“I was going to get back to acronyms, and I’m going to — I’m going to — withstand not doing that.”
The US would work with Congress to support “resilient infrastructure” in the region and also with partners, including Japan and Australia, to support climate-resilient economic development, an official said.
Earlier in the speech he claimed the Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is from Baltimore.
Mr Biden said: “That’s why the United States is formally establishing diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands.
“And the real reason is: We’re both from Baltimore. That’s a long story, but — but all kidding aside, the Cook Islands and Niue.”
In referring to the funding, Mr Biden also mistakenly gave the amount as $40 billion, instead of $40 million.
Leaders from the 18-nation Pacific Islands Forum met with President Biden at the White House after the announcement.
It’s the latest in a series of recent blunders made by the US President.
Mr Biden’s press conference in Vietnam earlier this month was ended abruptly when jazz music played over him while he was still speaking.
The 80-year-old had been speaking to reporters at a briefing at in Hanoi when his press secretary suddenly announced no further questions would be taken.
Last month he referred to the Grand Canyon as one of the “nine” wonders of the world.
In June, the world leader ended a speech in Connecticut by saying “God save the Queen, man”.
In the same month, he said that Russia “is clearly losing the war in Iraq” and announced “plans to build a railroad from the Pacific all the way across the Indian Ocean”.
