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Sunday 14 February 2021

Driven to distraction: Biden plays MARIO KART with his granddaughter Naomi, 26, after Donald Trump is acquitted in impeachment trial and his deputy press secretary quits for threatening to 'destroy' reporter

 President Biden spent Saturday evening playing Mario Kart with his grandchildren after Donald Trump was acquitted of inciting insurrection at his impeachment trial. 

The Commander-in-chief, 78, looked to be blowing off steam following the disappointing outcome, as he gathered with his family at a games arcade in Washington, DC. 

In a clip shared to Instagram Stories by his granddaughter, Naomi, 26, the President can be seen sitting at a Mario Kart Arcade GP console as he competes against another of his family members. 


'Secret Service made an exception and let him drive himself!!!' Naomi captioned her short clip.

 'A little rusty, but he still won (barely),' she added. 


President Biden spent Saturday evening playing Mario Kart with his grandchildren after Donald Trump was acquitted of inciting insurrection at his impeachment trial

President Biden spent Saturday evening playing Mario Kart with his grandchildren after Donald Trump was acquitted of inciting insurrection at his impeachment trial

Biden cut a casual figure in blue jeans and a baseball cap for the Saturday night outing. 

It appeared First Lady Jill Biden was also on the outing, as a blonde woman was seen in the video hovering over the game in a green parka and black leggings. 

President Biden is known for spending time with his four granddaughters - Naomi, Finnegan, 21, Maisy, 20, and Natalie, 16. The girls affectionately call the President 'pop'. 


Biden also two grandsons - Robert Jr, 14, and Beau Jr, ten months. 

Meanwhile, the President and First Lady are also grandparents to two-year-old Navy Joan - the product of their son Hunter's brief affair with Arkansas -based stripper, Lunden Roberts. 

It is not believed the Bidens have met the little girl. 

President Biden is known for spending time with his grandchildren. Pictured from left: Maisy Robert Jr., Naomi,  President Biden, Jill Biden, Finnegan, Ashley and Natalie

President Biden is known for spending time with his grandchildren. Pictured from left: Maisy Robert Jr., Naomi,  President Biden, Jill Biden, Finnegan, Ashley and Natalie

Jill and Joe Biden are pictured with their granddaughters Finnegan (left) and Naomi (right)

Jill and Joe Biden are pictured with their granddaughters Finnegan (left) and Naomi (right)

Despite his outing to the games arcade, Biden still had time to prepare a statement regarding Trump's acquittal on Saturday evening. .  

'While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute,' the President said in the statement. 

'Even those opposed to the conviction, like Senate Minority Leader McConnell, believe Donald Trump was guilty of a 'disgraceful dereliction of duty' and 'practically and morally responsible for provoking' the violence unleashed on the Capitol,' Biden added.

Biden said that following the trial, he was thinking of those who died on January 6, as well as 'those who demonstrated the courage to protect the integrity of our democracy – Democrats and Republicans, election officials and judges, elected representatives and poll workers – before and after the election.' 

 The senate voted 57- 43 to convict Trump on the charge of inciting insurrection - however Democrats fell short of the 67 votes needed for a conviction.  

The Senate voted 57-43 to convict, falling far short of the 67 votes needed even as seven Republicans joined with the Democrats on the question

The Senate voted 57-43 to convict, falling far short of the 67 votes needed even as seven Republicans joined with the Democrats on the question

Meanwhile on Saturday evening, White House Deputy Press Secretary TJ Ducklo tended his resignation after he reportedly threatened a reporter who was working on a story about his secret romantic relationship with another journalist. 

'I am devastated to have embarrassed and disappointed my White House colleagues and President Biden, and after a discussion with White House communications leadership tonight, I resigned my position and will not be returning from administrative leave, Ducklo said in a statement on Saturday. 

'No words can express my regret, my embarrassment, and my disgust for my behavior. I used language that no woman should ever have to hear from anyone, especially in a situation where she was just trying to do her job,' he said.  

Vanity Fair reported on Friday that Ducklo had made threats - including 'I will destroy you' - to Politico correspondent Tara Palmeri, who was reporting a piece about Ducklo's romance with an Axios reporter, Alexi McCammond. 

White House Deputy Press Secretary TJ Ducklo (above) has resigned after threatening a reporter who was working on a story about his romantic relationship with another journalist

White House Deputy Press Secretary TJ Ducklo (above) has resigned after threatening a reporter who was working on a story about his romantic relationship with another journalist 

The White House confirmed Ducklo's resignation, saying in a statement: 'We accepted the resignation of TJ Ducklo after a discussion with him this evening.' 

'This conversation occurred with the support of the White House Chief of Staff. We are committed to striving every day to meet the standard set by the President in treating others with dignity and respect, with civility and with a value for others through our words and our actions,' the statement added.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had come under fire for her initial decision to suspend suspend Ducklo for one week without pay, despite President Joe Biden's vow of a zero-tolerance policy for abusive behavior in his administration.

Journalists heavily criticized the suspension as inadequate, saying it was a signal that reporters were fair game for abuse in the new administration. 

Ducklo had called Politico reporter Tara Palmeri (pictured) to say he would 'destroy' her
Palmeri was writing an article about his romance with Axios journalist Alexi McCammond (pictured)

Ducklo had called Politico reporter Tara Palmeri (left) to say he would 'destroy' her over an article she was planning to write about his romance with Axios journalist Alexi McCammond (right)

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