The White House explained Wednesday the origin of mysterious lines visible on Joe Biden's face in recent days: the octogenarian uses a treatment mask for sleep apnea.
The horizontal marks on his skin were noticed by reporters following the US president earlier this week and again on Wednesday when he left Washington for Chicago.
A history of sleep apnea
The 80-year-old Democrat uses a sleep apnea treatment tool (CPAP), said deputy presidential spokesman Andrew Bates. These masks, sometimes used to prevent snoring, have elastics to hold the device around the nose.
Joe Biden has "disclosed his history of sleep apnea in numerous medical reports" since 2008, Bates added. "He used a CPAP machine last night, which is usual for people with this history," the spokesperson said. Joe Biden, born in 1942, is the oldest U.S. president in office, and his health is the focus of attention. If he manages to be re-elected in 2024, he would be 86 years old at the end of his second term.