President Biden made an apparent gaffe on Friday, shortly after suggesting that former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) was either dead or divorced and was no longer his friend. Native American community “I don’t have any problems”.

“Thank you to Senator Mark Kelly, who is a great friend and is married to an incredible woman who is also my friend,” the 81-year-old president told the Gila River Indian Community just south of Phoenix.

Kelly, a Democratic senator from Arizona, is married to Giffords. so alive – Since 2007.

former congressman was shot in the head He miraculously survived at a founding forum in Tucson in January 2011.

Giffords resigned from the House of Representatives a year later to focus on her recovery.

Moments before that mistake, Biden remembered the name of the reservation he was visiting and awkwardly reassured the crowd that he was fine.

“I am Joe Biden and I am the husband of Jill Biden,” the president said at the beginning of his speech. “Governor, thank you for this introduction. And to the Gila Indian River Community – to the Gila… to the Gila… there is nothing wrong with me.”

Finally he got the name right.

“Gila River Indian Community, thank you for welcoming me today,” Biden said.

The president appeared to have trouble reading teleprompters in the brutal Arizona sun.

He took off his distinctive aviator sunglasses as he began his remarks, but put them back on after about a minute.

“I wear these glasses because I have trouble seeing them,” Biden admitted.

In his speech, Biden apologized on behalf of the federal government for the historic policy of forcing Native American children into assimilation-focused boarding schools.

“As president of the United States, I formally apologize for our actions,” the president said.

“It’s a long, long, long overdue thing. “Frankly, there is no excuse for this apology to last 50 years.”