President Joe Biden appeared to forget Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s name, referring to him as a "Black man" in a BET interview.
"Look at the heat I'm getting because I, I named a, the Secretary of Defense. A Black man," Biden told BET News' Ed Gordon, referring to Defense Secretary Austin.
Biden's response prompted online criticism of the president for stumbling through the Defense Secretary's name. However, others suggested that Biden was listing the names of his Black appointees during his first term — a talking point he's recently used on the campaign trail.
"I named Ketanji Brown," the president continued, referencing the Supreme Court justice. "I mean — because of the people I've named."
In the interview, which aired on Wednesday, the president spoke with Gordon in Las Vegas to discuss a wide-ranging issues surrounding his campaign and issues important to Black voters, such as inflation, reproductive rights, and dissatisfaction with the Democratic party.
"It's all about treating people with dignity," Biden said.
