Biden Slams Trump — Says ‘Yes’ World Leaders Ask Why Trump Hasn’t Been Charged For Insurrection

 

President Joe Biden slammed ex-President Donald Trump for politicizing the Justice Department and said that world leaders have asked him why Trump hasn’t been charged for the Jan. 6 insurrection while the “foot soldiers” have.

The president has consistently made a point of not commenting on Trump’s legal woes and stressing the independence of the DOJ.

But on Thursday’s edition of Deadline: White House, host Nicolle Wallace scored an extensive interview with the president, and did get him to reveal a little something.

Asked about the length of time it took for the FBI to begin investigating January 6, Biden again begged off and slammed Trump for trying to interfere with independent agencies.

When Wallace asked “do other democratic leaders want to know why the foot soldiers of the insurrection have been charged and prosecuted, but not the leader?”, Biden answered in the affirmative — and revealed what he tells them:

WALLACE: Let me ask you about an institution that we spend a lot of time covering here, and that’s the Justice Department.

“The Washington Post” recently reported that it took the Justice Department seeing Cassidy Hutchinson’s public testimony, which was a year ago yesterday, to really focus on Trump and his innermost circle’s role in the January 6 coup plot.

You have awarded medals to Harry Dunn and Officer Fanone and the others. Do they deserve to know why it took the Justice Department a year to open an investigation into the person that incited the insurrection?

BIDEN: Look, I made a commitment that I would not in any way interfere with the Justice Department, who they prosecuted, if they prosecuted, how they proceeded.

I have not spoken once, not one single time with the attorney general, on any specific case, not once. And — but I do talk to him about law enforcement and all those other things. But the point is that I just think we — there have been — there’s what I mean about interfering in institutions.

The last administration tried to direct the court, tried to push the court, I mean, whether it was the Fed or the court or institutions, that are supposed to say, hands off. That’s why I have never engaged in that. And it’s not my role to do that.

WALLACE: But when you talk about strengthening democracies at home and abroad, do other democratic leaders want to know why the foot soldiers of the insurrection have been charged and prosecuted, but not the leader?

BIDEN: Well, I — the answer is yes, but here’s my answer.

The court — I have faith the Justice Department will move in a direction that is consistent with the law. And so it may take time, but I have faith that they’re going to do the right — but I have not spoken about it, and I don’t think I should.

WALLACE: And I think that, again, is sort of this reverence for the institutions and the norms.

Watch above via Deadline: White House.

Tags: