Biden Torpedoes Trump Ballot Bans — Spars With Reporter Asking About Trump ‘Threat to Democracy’
President Joe Biden weighed in on former President Donald Trump’s continued presence on the presidential ballot, and got a little chippy with a reporter who challenged him about calling Trump a threat to democracy.
Biden spoke to reporters Tuesday morning during his departure from the South Lawn of the White House as he prepared to travel to Palm Beach, Florida.
The president was peppered with questions on a variety of topics, including one reporter who pressed him after he said he was “fine” with Trump being on the ballot. Biden made a wisecrack, then told the reporter he was only “teasing”:
Q Mr. President, what — do you hold Iran responsible for the death of the three Americans?
Q Have you made a decision how you’ll respond to the attacks?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q And —
Q Mr. President, do you hold Iran responsible for the death of those three Americans?
THE PRESIDENT: I do hold respon- — them responsible in the sense that they’re supplying the weapons to the people who did it.
Q But directly responsible?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we’ll have that discussion.
Q (Inaudible) have not deterred these attacks in the past. What will be different this time?
THE PRESIDENT: We’ll see.
Q Mr. President, (inaudible) are you worried about a regional war in the Mi- — a wider war in the Middle East? How worried are you?
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East. That’s not what I’m looking for.
Q Should Donald Trump be allowed on the ballot? Should Donald Trump be allowed on the ballot?
THE PRESIDENT: As far as I’m concerned, that’s fine.
Q Why is he leading in the polls if he is a threat to democracy, as you say?
THE PRESIDENT: Because guys like you. (Laughs.)
Q What am I doing? Come on.
Q Mr. President —
THE PRESIDENT: I’m teasing, man! I’m teasing. It’s early.
(Cross-talk.)
Q Mr. President, on the border. Have you done everything you can do with executive authority? Or is there more you could do absent (inaudible)?
THE PRESIDENT: I’ve done all I can do. Just give me the power. I’ve asked from the very day I got into office. Give me the Border Patrol. Give me the people — give me the people, the judges. Give me the people who can stop this and make it work right.
(Cross-talk.)
Q Are you worried about the possible escalation in the military involvement in the Middle East? What do you say to those in your party?
THE PRESIDENT: (Inaudible.) We’ll see.
Biden was asked about the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling banning Trump on 14th Amendment grounds in December, at which time he said “Whether the 14th Amendment applies or not, we’ll let the court make that decision. But he certainly supported an insurrection. There’s no question about it. None. Zero. And he seems to be doubling down on it.”
Watch above via C-SPAN.
