Police urgently cleared roads to bring President Joe Biden to the airport following reports that he was code “421” — which means “sick or injured” — during a visit to Las Vegas in July, according to recordings of police radio traffic The Federalist obtained by public records request. White House officials said Biden was experiencing a “mild” case of Covid.
“Right now POTUS is 421,” radioed a Las Vegas Metro Police officer. “We’re just trying to figure out what’s going on, and we’re going to go from there.”
During Biden’s trip to Las Vegas, he spoke at the NAACP conference on July 16 about “racial justice and equity,” according to a White House press release. The next day, he visited local Mexican restaurant Lindo Michoacan, and was set to speak at the UnidosUS conference at the MGM Grand later that evening. But Biden’s plans soon changed.
The police audio does not have timestamps, so it is difficult to pinpoint exact times. But at one point, officers said Biden was planning to move locations close to 12:10 or 12:15 p.m., and he boarded Air Force One for Delaware close to 3:20 p.m. So Biden’s medical event likely unfolded in the early afternoon.
Audio files of the police radio traffic are below.
Biden’s Medical Event
Police cleared roads from near the MGM Grand to Lindo Michoacan, according to a 43-minute audio clip. While Biden was visiting the restaurant, police planned a route to return to the MGM. But while waiting for him to finish the event, they got reports that something was wrong.
“Right now, they’re on a hold for something with the president,” an officer radioed. “He’s being seen, so we’re just kind of waiting to see how this is shaping out.”
Police surged units to Biden’s location.
“Can you have all the units assigned to the motorcade come down to Desert Inn and Eastern?” an officer asked the dispatcher. “Everybody responding, we need them to come to D[esert] I[nn] and Topaz” — the intersection nearest the restaurant.
Officers quickly changed plans, clearing a path to the airport instead of MGM.
“Secret Service is requesting a code 3 response,” an officer said on the radio.
Officers shut down Eastern Avenue from Lindo Michoacan to the airport to clear a way for Biden.
“Look for an intersection that needs to be shut down, and then just shut it down,” an officer directed in a four-minute radio clip.
A UnidosUS organizer announced to a disappointed crowd that Biden would not be speaking.
“I was just on the phone with President Biden, and he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon,” the organizer said in a video posted to Facebook. “He just tested positive for Covid. So of course we understand that he needs to take the precautions that have been recommended.”
Preparing for the Worst
Police responded to University Medical Center as a “precaution,” a public information officer for the Las Vegas Metro Police told The Federalist.
“We did not know the nature of his illness,” the officer said. “As a precaution, LVMPD proactively began to shut down roads leading to UMC Hospital.”
Officers responded to UMC for a code “461,” or a “non-criminal detail,” according to another four-minute clip.
“Bolden Area Command that’s not assigned to a priority call, clear, and assign yourself to a 461 at UMC,” an officer radioed. “Any available units, come down here to Valley Hospital right now.”
He instructed officers to gather in the nearby Valley Hospital emergency room parking lot. An officer said four units were en route, but the other replied, “I need more.”
“We’re going to get our instructions, hopefully quickly,” an officer noted.
Scott Kerbs, UMC brand and public relations director, told The Federalist the hospital prepared “for the potential of a visit.” He emailed a statement saying Biden did not visit the hospital, but it was told to prepare close to 2:15 p.m.
“UMC received notification to prepare for a potential medical visit from the president,” Kerbs said in the statement. “Our team immediately went into action, coordinating closely with federal and local law enforcement, in addition to our trusted EMS partners.”
The White House claimed Biden’s medical event in Las Vegas was simply a Covid diagnosis.
The Flight
Biden’s motorcade drove directly onto the tarmac at Harry Reid International Airport, according to the 43-minute clip.
The president’s team pulled up to Air Force One at minute mark 40:30. Within less than two minutes, an officer said the plane was “wheels up” — at minute mark 41:45.
“Great work out there. You know, we put that together ad hoc,” an officer said on the radio. “It looked like we had planned it for weeks.”
Biden told reporters, “I feel good” before boarding the plane, said Emily Goodin, Daily Mail senior White House correspondent, on X.
Goodin said the total flight time from Las Vegas to Dover, Delaware, was just 3 hours and 48 minutes. The typical flight time from Las Vegas to Dover falls close to 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Goodin said Air Force One “flew so fast the plane shook.”
The White House claims Biden went back to Delaware to “self-isolate” for his case of Covid, continuing to “carry out the full duties of the office.” Biden did not make public video appearances during this time.
Democrat leaders had been pressuring Biden to drop out of the presidential race for weeks, and on July 21, a letter posted on X announced Biden’s withdrawal from his reelection campaign.
Logan Washburn is a staff writer covering election integrity. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo’s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is originally from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.
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