President Joe Biden unloaded on former President Donald Trump as a “loser” during a campaign stop in Michigan on Friday as a minority of Democrats continued to call for him to drop out of the race.
Biden has vowed to remain this year’s presumptive Democratic presidential nominee despite facing intense pressure to withdraw by some members of his own party following weeks of backlash stemming from his June 27 debate performance against Trump.
By Friday, 20 sitting Democratic lawmakers had publicly called for his exit, while another 24 Democratic former U.S. House and Senate members penned an open letter asking that he release his delegates and back an “open” Democratic National Convention next month.
During a rally on the same day in Michigan, a state that is likely crucial to Biden’s chances of defeating Trump for a second time, the president mentioned the speculation about his campaign, reaffirmed his pledge to stay in the race and promised to beat Trump in November.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP
“You’ve probably noticed there’s been a lot of speculation lately—What’s Joe Biden gonna do? Is going to stay in the race? Is he going to drop out of the race?” Biden told the crowd in Detroit. “Here’s my answer: I am running, and we’re gonna win! I’m not going to change that.”
“I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party and the only Democrat or Republican who has beaten Donald Trump ever,” he continued. “And I’m going to beat him again. I know him. Donald Trump is a loser!”
The crowd could then be heard chanting, “Lock him up!” a likely reference to Trump’s 34 felony convictions in New York and a “Lock her up!” chant that Trump supporters have frequently used to target former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In an email sent to Newsweek on Friday night, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded to Biden’s remarks by saying that the president “can’t even get his own party in line” and is “delusional, not only suffering from significant mental decline, but also suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
“Americans of all backgrounds are coalescing around President Trump because they have seen what a disastrous Biden presidency represents—skyrocketing inflation, an out-of-control border, and spiraling crime across our communities,” Cheung continued.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.