President Joe Biden Causes Confusion After Signing Off Gun Control Speech with ‘God Save the Queen’
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
The White House press office clarified Biden’s remarks, saying that he was "commenting to someone in the crowd"
John Moore/Getty Images
President Joe Biden left some audience members confused when he ended a speech on gun control with a famous British phrase.
While speaking at the National Safer Communities Summit in West Hartford, Conn., where he called for new laws to ban AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, Biden concluded his speech by telling attendees “God, bless you all” and “God, protect our troops," before adding that he would shake hands with “everyone” before heading off.
In a video captured from the moment, Biden continued, “I will stand in front of each section — no, I really mean it — and if you can see the camera they can see you. It is the least consequential part of this whole meeting for you, I promise.”
He then left the stage with the words, “God Save the Queen, man.”
John Moore/Getty Images
Related: Everything Joe Biden — and Celebs — Said About His Age at the White House Correspondents' Dinner
The phrase left many questioning whether the president had meant to say “God Save the King” instead, as Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, died last September at the age of 96.
Her son, King Charles, held a coronation ceremony — which was attended by Biden’s wife and first lady Jill Biden — last month.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories
The White House press office clarified Biden’s remarks in an email to Independent U.K., however, saying that he was "commenting to someone in the crowd.”
The representative added that Biden “couldn’t do the full ropeline due to weather."
Despite some critiquing Biden for using the phrase, others, such as actor Tim Nicolai, came to his defense with a message on social media.
“The 'God Save the Queen' thing feels to me like the furthest reach to create controversy out of nothing with Biden," he tweeted.
Nicolai added that the phrase “typically seems to be a kind of 'thank god' or 'god help us' phrase, depending on context; sometimes used to diffuse tension.”
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
