In a fiery campaign speech delivered in Pennsylvania on Friday, President Joe Biden launched a scathing critique of former President Donald Trump, three days shy of the third anniversary of the January 6th Capitol attack. The President condemned Trump for callously joking about the recent violent assault on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, labeling the remarks as “despicable.”
Reflecting on the tumultuous events of January 6th, Biden characterized the insurrection as “an attempt to overturn a free and fair election by force and violence.” He took the opportunity to highlight his 2020 victory, securing over 81 million votes and defeating Trump by a margin of 7 million in the popular vote.
“Trump’s claims about the 2020 election never could stand up in court. Trump lost 60 court cases — 60,” emphasized Biden, amid applause from the crowd. “Trump lost to Republican-controlled states. Trump lost before Trump appointed judges and then judges, and Trump lost before the United States Supreme Court.”
Biden further criticized Trump for attacking election officials and workers post his legal defeats, citing instances such as the threats and harassment faced by election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss in Georgia. He highlighted a recent $148 million judgment against Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s lawyer, for cruelty and defamation inflicted against them.
Reviewing Trump’s failed legal endeavors, Biden asserted, “So knowing how his mind works now he had one act left, one desperate act available to him. The violence of January the 6th.”
The President condemned the violent mob that attacked the Capitol and their refusal to accept the election outcome. “Trump won’t do what an American president must do. He refuses to denounce political violence,” asserted Biden. “I’ll say what Donald Trump won’t, political violence is never, ever acceptable in the United States.”
Turning his attention to Trump’s recent jest about the attack on Paul Pelosi, Biden expressed his dismay, stating, “He laughs about it. What a sick… My God. I think it’s despicable. Seriously. Not just for a president, but for any person to say that.” Biden argued that Trump and his supporters not only refuse to condemn violence but openly revel in it, stating, “Trump and his MAGA supporters not only embrace political violence, but they laugh about it.”
Concluding his speech, Biden warned against the threat posed by Trump’s movement to American democracy. “It can’t be pro-insurrectionist and pro-American,” he declared, highlighting the hypocrisy of endorsing political violence while claiming to love America.
Biden’s forceful condemnation of Trump’s insensitive remarks underscores the Democrats’ efforts to make the former president’s extremism a focal point in the lead-up to the 2024 election. Despite widespread criticism, Trump remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, further intensifying the political landscape.
