Plot to oust Joe Biden after 'shocking' D-Day anniversary appearance sparks Pentagon panic

Serious questions are being asked by high-level US officials about Joe Biden's capability to handle another four years in the White House following his "shocking" performance at the D-Day memorial event, the Express can reveal.

A Pentagon insider has revealed that the US President's "mental and physical decline" has sent shockwaves through Washington. So much so, that Democrats are already lining him up to be superseded by his deputy, Kamala Harris.

On Thursday, at a D-Day memorial service attended by veterans and world leaders, Biden appeared dazed and confused, seemingly requiring assistance from both French President Emmanuel Macron as well as his wife, Jill Biden.

A Department of Defence source told the Express: "It was quite shocking, I think it's becoming more and more difficult to hide the reality of a man in failing health.

"His mental and physical decline, unfortunately, is precisely what Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin use to emphasise strong vs weak on the world stage."

The latest concerns come following a Wall Street Journal article that cited more than 45 Republican and Democratic lawmakers and staffers who shared their thoughts on Biden's mental fitness.

It revealed there were growing concerns about Biden's lack of ability to engage in private meetings.

The statements from various insiders painted a bleak picture of a President struggling to grasp basic details, becoming increasingly hard to understand, and showing signs of physical deterioration.

One source said of a meeting with Mr Biden: "You couldn't be there and not feel uncomfortable.

"Former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy added: “I used to meet with him when he was vice president. I’d go to his house. He’s not the same person.

”White House spokesman Andrew Bates dismissed the claims as a "political tactic" being used by the Republicans. He added that it was clear that Biden was still a "savvy and effective leader".

But there's no hiding that Biden's presidency has been littered with public gaffes, embarrassing falls, and questions surrounding his age.

Despite this, the Express understands that his team still sees him as their only hope of beating Donald Trump in November's election.

A source said: "They will try to win with him, then slide in Kamala Harris. Or they are giving up 2024."

This follows a recent New York Times/Siena College poll that showed Trump's lead over Biden has shrunk following his criminal conviction in the hush money trial.

The Republican nominee was three points ahead of the US president in April and May, with 48 percent of respondents saying they intended to vote for him compared with 45 percent who planned to support Biden.

But the same group of 2,000 voters one week after Trump’s historic court case found 47 percent now supported him and 46 percent backed Mr Biden.

It suggests some voters in November’s election could be swayed by Trump’s conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.Trump will be sentenced on July 11.