'This is the "when did you stop beating your spouse" question': National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan fires back at reporter for asking why Biden 'shouted and swore' at staffers when he found out he was losing to Trump

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan fired back Monday when a reporter asked him why President Joe Biden was 'shouting and swearing' at staff over sluggish poll numbers.

Fox News Channel's Peter Doocy called attention to an NBC News report that was released Sunday that said Biden 'began to shout and swear' when he found out his poll numbers had dropped in Georgia and Michigan over his handling of the war in Gaza. 

At Monday's briefing Doocy asked Sullivan if Biden's uproar was caused by 'Netanyahu or about Hamas or about his poll numbers.'

'This is the "when did you stop beating your spouse" question,' Sullivan answered. 'Because I don't think he ever did that.' 

Over Doocy's objections, Sullivan continued, 'You use that as the premise of your question, which is "when he does that," I've never seen him do that, shout or swear in response to that, so from my perspective that particular report is not correct.' 

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan fired back Monday when a reporter asked him why President Joe Biden was 'shouting and swearing' at staff over sluggish poll numbers

NBC's sources said that in a private meeting at the White House in January, allies informed the president that his numbers had dipped in the two important battleground states. 

A member of Congress told the network's reporters about Biden's four-letter filled outburst. 

Biden believed that he had made the right call in standing with Israel after the brutal October 7 terror attack at the hands of Hamas, though the political left has been angered by Israel's response, which has left thousands of Palestinian civilians dead. 

'President Biden makes national security decisions based on the country's national security needs alone - no other factor,' White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told the network when presented with the reporting. 

But Biden has had to contend with chunks of Democratic primary voters - including more than 100,000 in Michigan and one in five in Minnesota - selecting 'uncommitted' instead of him, a protest vote over his handling of the Gaza situation. 

NBC's reporting also shed light on how Biden and his staff are trying to handle his other liabilities as he goes up against former President Donald Trump a second time. 

Polling shows that Americans have deep doubts about Biden's age, 81, and thus his fitness for office. 

President Joe Biden reportedly 'began to shout and swear' when he found out his poll numbers had dropped in Georgia and Michigan, according to a report from NBC released Sunday

The network reported that advisers have given him conflicting advice on how to counter that. 

Some advisers told Biden he needed to walk faster to show vigor, but White House staff was so concerned about him tripping again that he started using the shorter steps to board Air Force One - robbing him of the photo-op of waving to the crowd below from the top of the long staircase. 

'He's probably a little mad at himself for not being more forceful with the staff,' a person familiar with the discussions told NBC on Biden's now frequent use of the short stairs.

Biden, the network said, is privately wondering if he should trust his political gut over what his aides have said. 

'The man's been successful for decades in Congress and became vice president and president,' said a source who formerly worked in the administration. 'If you try to change the person, you're making a mistake. Let the president go out there and do his thing.'