WATCH: Biden Walked Out in Middle of Medal of Honor Ceremony Because of COVID-19, White House Says

President Joe Biden, 80, walked out in the middle of a Medal of Honor ceremony Tuesday to reduce the risk that he would spread COVID-19, the White House said.

"As it was planned, he left when there was a pause in the program in order to minimize—to minimize his close contact with attendees who were about to participate in a reception," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a Wednesday briefing. "You all reported that and noticed that he left when there was a pause in the program because, again, he wanted to minimize, certainly, his impact on folks who were there."

Biden is taking COVID precautions because first lady Jill Biden tested positive for the virus on Monday. The president says he has tested negative for the virus.

Despite Jean-Pierre's claim that Biden was being cautious about exposing attendees at Tuesday's event, several decisions he made could have increased the risk that he spread COVID-19 to attendees. He did not wear a mask when he gave the medal to honoree Capt. Larry Taylor, standing face to face with the 81-year-old Army veteran. He also did not wear a mask when he walked out of the room.

The president also did not appear concerned about slowing the spread during remarks he gave Wednesday, joking about how he forgot to put his mask on when he entered the room.

Many expressed outrage at the president's conduct in Tuesday's ceremony. As the Washington Free Beacon reported:

The president received backlash for immediately leaving after he returned the salute of 81-year-old former Army captain Larry Taylor, who braved enemy gunfire to rescue an American patrol group with his helicopter in a 1968 battle during the Vietnam War. Biden ducked out of the ceremony before military chaplain Brig. Gen. William Green Jr. concluded it with a prayer, according to the New York Post.

"At least he didn’t check his watch this time," Rep. Wesley Hunt (R., Texas) said on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, referencing the time Biden looked at his watch during a ceremony for 13 American service members who died in a bombing amid his bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan.

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