UNDER-PRESSURE BIDEN STICKS TO THE SCRIPT IN NATO SPEECH

WASHINGTON,  July 10 (Bernama-dpa) -- US President Joe Biden delivered his speech at a ceremony to mark NATO's 75th anniversary in Washington in front of the world on Tuesday with no slip-ups and only minor slurring, albeit with close reliance on a teleprompter, reported German news agency (dpa).

Questions surrounding Biden's mental fitness for office loom over the summit, as the US presidential race heats up between the president and his predecessor, long-time NATO critic Donald Trump. 

A live televised debate a week and a half ago reignited concerns, including among Biden's own Democratic Party, about whether he was too frail to lead. 

As usual at such events, Biden read the entire speech from the prompter. Even when he thanked NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for his leadership and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he did not look directly at him most of the time, but instead read the text. 

The speech, which received several ovations, came across much clearer than in the TV debate. The presentation of the medal also went off without a hitch. 

There may be a more difficult challenge to come, however, namely the press conference at the end of the NATO summit on Thursday. 

Here, he will have to react spontaneously – and without the help of the teleprompter. 

-- BERNAMA-dpa