The insects also temporarily grounded the charter plane meant to carry the press corps for the president’s European tour.

As President Joe Biden on Wednesday prepared to depart for his first foreign trip since assuming office — a week-long tour of western Europe during which he will engage both American allies and adversaries — the commander in chief came into contact with an emergent domestic rival on the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews.

The president proceeded to flash a wave to reporters before strolling over to the assembled press pool with a warning: “Watch out for the cicadas.”.

The episode marked the second time in less than 24 hours that the loud, red-eyed pest had intruded upon White House operations in the run-up to Biden’s European travel.

Four years later, at a White House ceremony where Obama announced his nominees for two top financial regulatory roles, another fly swerved around the president as he delivered prepared remarks — at one point landing on his forehead.

Of course, the most prominent recent victim of insect interference was Vice President Mike Pence, who seemed unaware of a black bug resting on his white, closely cropped hair for a lengthy stretch of his debate last October with then-Sen