Former Biden spokesman Ian Sams, who claimed he often observed the president closely, acknowledges he has only seen him twice in two years.

Former Press Secretary’s Defense of Biden Raises Eyebrows

Following a rocky debate performance in 2024, Ian Sams, who once served as Biden’s press secretary, defended the president vigorously. He described Biden as “sharp” and engaged behind the scenes. Yet, behind closed doors, Sams acknowledged to House investigators that his personal interactions with the president were quite limited.

On July 2, 2024, just days after the debate, Sams appeared on MSNBC’s “Deadline: The White House.” He argued that Biden’s rejection of a Supreme Court decision regarding presidential immunity demonstrated the president’s commitment, despite rising public concerns about his visibility.

Sams praised Biden’s recent speech concerning the Supreme Court, stating, “That’s the President Biden many of us experience every day,” highlighting his tendency to ask tough questions that sharpen the team’s focus on serving the American people.

At another point in the same interview, he reiterated, “When I interact with him, he’s sharp. He asks tough questions.” This enthusiastic defense caught attention, especially given the Democrats’ struggles in recent debates against Donald Trump.

However, Sams’s testimony about his interactions with Biden told a different story. In an interview with the House Oversight Committee, he admitted that his first personal meeting with the president didn’t occur until early 2024. He estimated having met Biden only three or four times throughout his tenure, with just two being in person.

Sams defended his earlier comments on MSNBC, insisting they were honest despite concerns about their accuracy. He asserted that Biden was indeed sharp and engaged during their interactions.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer characterized Sams’s testimony as shocking, particularly in the context of ongoing investigations into Biden’s dealings. After the Republican takeover of the House, Sams became the primary spokesperson regarding inquiries into the Biden family’s foreign business ventures.

The committee’s Twitter account sharply criticized Sams, suggesting he was misleading the public about Biden’s capabilities.

Interestingly, Sams had also been vocal in countering a report by former special counsel Robert Hur, which indicated that should Biden face trial, jurors might see him as a “well-intentioned old man with a bad memory.” Comer’s remarks, implying that Hur had more direct interactions with Biden than Sams ever did, added another layer to the scrutiny surrounding Sams’s statements.