Trump Has Mentioned Biden Nearly 900 Times This Year, Reuters Review Finds
The former president has made his successor a frequent target across speeches and social media, focusing on perceived failures ahead of the midterm elections.
Donald Trump has invoked President Joe Biden’s name nearly 900 times this year, a Reuters review revealed, maintaining a constant focus on his successor as Republicans vie to retain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. Trump has targeted Biden, a Democrat, on average three times daily across speeches, comments, and Truth Social posts, attributing a range of issues including inflation, immigration, and munitions shortages to him. This strategy aims to direct voter attention toward the current administration's perceived shortcomings rather than Trump's own past presidency.
Frequent Criticisms
Since January 1, Trump has mentioned Biden by name at least 890 times. These references span nearly 200 events and interviews, along with approximately 190 Truth Social posts. The economy was the most frequent subject, with Biden invoked at least 210 times, followed by immigration (168 times) and foreign policy and national security matters (138 times).
Trump has criticized Biden at various events, including a Republican midterm convention in Dallas on September 9, where he stated, "Democrats delivered you four years of disaster, bedlam and death under sleepy Joe Biden." He also blamed Biden for munitions shortages, housing costs, and damage to the steel industry during a NATO meeting in July, setting a daily record of 16 mentions. While presidents often criticize their predecessors, Trump's sustained and voluminous focus on Biden, nearly two years after leaving office, stands out.
Olivia Wales, a White House spokeswoman, defended Trump's references, stating, "Joe Biden is the worst president in American history, and President Trump has spent every day cleaning up his mess and making the United States of America stronger than ever before." However, Meghan Hays, a former senior Biden White House official, called Trump's actions an "obsession," suggesting he is more focused on relitigating the 2020 election than on domestic issues.
Shifting Blame on Economy and Immigration
Trump's rhetoric on the economy has shifted, particularly concerning affordability issues. He stated on Truth Social, "I hope everyone realizes that price increases throughout America were caused by Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, not by ‘TRUMP.’" While some Trump supporters at the Dallas convention agreed, opinion polls suggest the public largely blames Trump for inflation. Inflation reached over 9% during Biden's term, influenced by pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine, and government stimulus spending.
On immigration, Trump has repeatedly attributed record border crossings to Biden's policies. Following the deaths of two U.S. citizens protesting in Minnesota in January, Trump blamed "the open border policies of Biden." He has acknowledged that his speechwriters sometimes urge him to move on from the topic, with advisers noting that voters may have heard the message repeatedly.
Foreign Policy and Personal Attacks
Trump has also invoked Biden when discussing international conflicts, including the war in Iran and the conflict in Ukraine. He has accused Biden of not being sufficiently aggressive against Iran and of "creating a monster with Iran" through the 2015 nuclear deal. Trump's administration has adopted Biden's policy of increasing economic pressure on Tehran. Trump also blamed Biden for dwindling U.S. munitions stockpiles, stating in July, "so much was given to Ukraine by Biden."
Beyond policy, Trump has made personal attacks on Biden's mental acuity and his use of an autopen to sign documents, a practice common among presidents. At an Easter Egg Roll event, Trump claimed Biden "gave everything to the autopen because he was incapable of signing, let alone running a country." A display dedicated to Biden at Trump's "presidential walk of fame" features an image of an autopen instead of a photograph of the president.
Trump has also attributed problems with the renovation of Washington's Reflecting Pool to neglect during Biden's presidency or prior reconstruction efforts, despite the Justice Department acknowledging that recent "flawed" renovation work, undertaken during Trump's administration, led to peeling paint.