Biden labels Trump as top threat to 'freedom, democracy'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 Apr 2024 21:26

Trump recently vowed to grant pardons to all individuals who were sentenced or jailed for their involvement in the Capitol insurrection if he is reelected.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on student loan debt at Madison College, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

In an interview aired on Tuesday on the main US Spanish-language TV network Univision, US President Joe Biden labeled Republican opponent Donald Trump as the main threat to American freedom and democracy.

"Donald Trump. Seriously," Biden said as he answered a question on the "primary threat to freedom and democracy at home."

🚨🇺🇸BIDEN: TRUMP POSES GREATEST THREAT TO AMERICAN FREEDOM

"Donald Trump uses phrases like we’re going to eviscerate the constitution. He’s going to be a dictator on day one."

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Biden further recalled the "destruction and the mayhem" that ensued from the Capitol Hill insurrection in 2021 as rioters attempted to overturn Biden's electoral victory.

Trump recently vowed to grant pardons to all individuals who were sentenced or jailed for their involvement in the Capitol insurrection if he is reelected.

Biden recalled testimonies from Congress that Trump had observed the riot for several hours on live television from the White House without making any efforts to intervene.

"The idea that he would sit in the office… and watch for hours the attack on the Capitol," Biden said, adding that Trump "uses phrases like you're gonna... eviscerate the Constitution (and) he's going to be a dictator on day one."

"I can't think of any other time, in my lifetime, in history that's occurred, that you’ve had somebody who's had this kind of attitude," Biden said.

The Univision interview represented a rare one-on-one opportunity for Biden, who has engaged with journalists in this format less frequently than previous presidents.

Both Biden and Trump are actively courting Hispanic voters as they recognize their importance in the November election. Univision as the nation's premier Hispanic media outlet serves as a critical platform for reaching this demographic.

This year's elections likely mark the most heated the country has ever witnessed, due to considerations from certain states, mainly Texas, to split away from the federation.

While Republicans have pointed fingers at Biden for his handling of the migrant crisis, Biden has attempted to deflect these criticisms by attributing the lack of progress to Congress's failure to support his proposed reforms. Other issues have arisen due to Biden's pro-Israeli stance. In light of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, his policy has led to voters in Michigan voting "uncommitted."

Trump, on the other hand, maintains his staunch anti-immigration stance, which has long been a cornerstone of his political persona, and he has consistently pledged to tighten measures against border crossings from Mexico in his pursuit of a White House comeback.

Despite initially facing widespread condemnation from Republicans for the Capitol attack and his rejection of the 2020 election outcome, Trump has since regained significant influence within his party. Recent polls indicate a closely contested race between him and Biden.