Trump calls on charges to be dropped. Biden spars with reporters, mixes up countries

Donald Trump called on the special counsel Jack Smith to drop charges against him in light of the decision by another prosecutor not to charge President Joe Biden over his own retention of government documents.

"If Special Counsel Jack Smith wants to do good for our Country, and help to unify it, he should drop all Litigation against Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME, and let our Country HEAL," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump's post followed the release of special counsel Robert Hur's report. That document found that while Biden kept documents, there were stark differences between the cases of the now 46th president and the 45th president. The contrasts included that Biden, unlike Trump, turned over the documents when his improper possession of them was revealed.

Trump, as spelled out in the indictment issued last summer, refused to turn over documents and attempted to conceal his possession of them. In interviews and speeches he has insisted he has a right to keep them.

Biden spars with reporters, mixes up Egypt and Mexico

Trump's statement came before Biden held a press conference Thursday evening in which the president faulted his "staff" for not having returned the documents and then said wished he had supervised "the transfer of the material" that was in his offices.

The press conference became combative as Biden was peppered by shouted questions from reporters about his age and the memory lapses alleged in the special counsel's report.

The report stated Biden's “memory was significantly limited” and that the president did not remember when his son, Beau, had passed away. Biden angrily fired back on Thursday evening.

"How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself, it was none of their damn business," Biden seethed.

Biden turned defensive when Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked how "bad" was his memory by replying, "My memory is so bad I let you speak."

At another point, he replied "my memory is fine" and pointed out accomplishments in his administration.. "None of you thought could I pass any of the things I got passed. How did that happen? I guess I just forgot what was going on," Biden quipped.

At times, as the reporters shouted out questions, Biden looked bewildered in contrast to Trump who earlier commanded his press conference in pointing to reporters as they shouted questions.

In response to a query about the Israel-Hamas conflict, Biden undermined his own assertions that his memory was solid by confusing Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in suggesting he is the president of Mexico.

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump: Drop charges. Biden: "Memory is fine," but confuses countries