Riveting State of the Union address delivered on Thursday, President Joe Biden unleashed a barrage of verbal attacks against his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. While skillfully avoiding direct mention of Trump by name, Biden repeatedly referred to him as “my predecessor” throughout the speech, as reported by Newsmax on Friday, March 8, 2024.
Biden’s verbal assault kicked off with a targeted appeal to women voters, holding Trump responsible for the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. According to Biden, this landmark decision safeguarding a woman’s right to choose was dismantled due to Trump’s determination and the nomination of three conservative justices during his presidency.
“My predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, ‘Do whatever the hell you want,'” Biden asserted, unveiling a shocking quote. “A former president actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. I think it’s outrageous, it’s dangerous, and it’s unacceptable.”
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The president seized the opportunity to discuss the bipartisan Senate border security bill, facing opposition and being declared “dead on arrival” by Speaker Mike Johnson in the House. Biden claimed, “I’m told my predecessor called members of Congress and the Senate to demand they block the bill,” attempting to distance himself from alleged interference by Trump. He urged Trump to rise above political considerations and join him in advocating for the bill’s passage.
Conservatives, however, criticize the bipartisan legislation, arguing that it lacks the toughness required to address the escalating challenges posed by illegal migration at the southern border.
The State of the Union address continued to scrutinize various aspects of Trump’s legacy, including foreign relations. Biden accused his predecessor of “bowing down” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing a quote where Trump allegedly told Putin to “do whatever the hell you want.” Biden deemed this statement outrageous, dangerous, and unacceptable.
Biden emphasized his administration’s economic stance against China, contrasting it with what he perceived as a lack of action from his predecessor. “Unlike my predecessor, on my first day in office, I introduced a comprehensive bill to fix our immigration system,” Biden declared.
The president addressed the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, labeling the perpetrators as “insurrectionists.” In a direct rebuke to Trump and other members of Congress, Biden proclaimed, “My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about Jan. 6. I will not do that.”
Amidst the verbal onslaught, Biden turned his attention to the political atmosphere, addressing the mainstream media’s narrative and some Democrats’ attempts to portray Trump as a defendant in four separate criminal trials focused on retribution in a potential second term.
“Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are the oldest of ideas,” Biden said. “But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas. It’ll only take us back.”
The president also criticized Trump’s actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, failing to acknowledge the former president’s role in the development of eventual vaccines. “My predecessor failed the most basic presidential duty that he owes to the American people, the duty to care,” Biden claimed. “I think that’s unforgivable.”
