Biden's surprise visit to Harvard was a mess! From fumbling on words to dropping ice cream, here's what happened

Harvard — the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university — has become an unlikely epicenter of resistance to President Donald Trump’s policies, refusing to yield to key demands from his administration. In response to Harvard's defiance, the Trump administration recently announced it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal grants and contracts. The move has sparked a wave of public support for the university from activists and political figures, including former President Joe Biden.

However, what was expected to be a powerful symbol of solidarity from the 82-year-old Democrat quickly unraveled into an embarrassing display that has since become talk of the town.

According to a report by The Harvard Crimson, Biden was smuggled into Harvard University on Wednesday for a surprise appearance before a group of approximately 50 students at the school's Institute of Politics. But the unannounced visit was soon overshadowed by a series of awkward moments. Interestingly, Biden's visit to the college was planned much before the standoff between Harvard and the Trump administration began.


While discussing Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Biden mistakenly referred to the country as Iraq, prompting his longtime adviser Mike Donilon — now a resident fellow at the institute — to step in and correct him. The gaffe was quickly seized upon by critics and spread across social media.

Then came another mishap: after finishing his remarks, Biden bit into a melting ice cream bar, which reportedly slipped from his hand and plopped onto the floor.

During the private talk, Biden praised Harvard’s refusal to comply with the Trump administration’s demands to dismantle all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and to ramp up screening of international students. These changes were proposed as part of a broader crackdown on what the administration has called “rampant antisemitism” on campus.“Harvard stepped up in a way no one else has. You should be really thankful,” Biden told the students, according to The Harvard Crimson.


Outside the event, pro-Palestinian protesters banged drums and chanted, “Biden, Biden, you can’t hide. You’re committing genocide,” after learning about the former president’s secret visit.

Despite the missteps, some students appeared excited to meet Biden, snapping photos with him and sharing them online. One student captioned their post: “Incredible day to meet Joe Biden.” Still, the visit served as yet another reminder of the gaffes that haunted Biden’s failed 2024 reelection bid, including the infamous moment he froze on stage during a high-stakes debate with then-candidate Trump.