Biden using CPAP machine for sleep apnea, White House admits

WASHINGTON — President Biden has been using a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea, a potentially serious condition in which breathing can stop during sleep, the White House confirmed Wednesday.

Administration officials acknowledged Biden’s condition and use of the device to Bloomberg News after journalists began asking for comment on strap lines visible on Biden’s face that morning while gaggling with reporters on the White House lawn.

Biden, 80, is the oldest-ever US president and is seeking a second term in next year’s election, despite concerns about his physical and mental fitness for office.

White House photojournalists had noticed subtle lines on Biden’s face during other recent appearances, but the clear markings Wednesday ignited a firestorm of social media speculation, with many fellow CPAP users saying they knew what they were.

Two White House officials confirmed Biden’s use of a CPAP machine to Bloomberg, but Biden’s press team did not immediately release an on-the-record comment.

Biden’s physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor has never been allowed to take questions from journalists in a break from custom — instead issuing brief annual reports following the president’s physicals.

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