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Biden to Describe Trump as ‘Existential Threat’ as They Circle Each Other in Iowa A ‘Loser.’ An ‘Existential Threat.’ Trump and Biden Trade Barbs Ahead of Iowa Trip
(32 minutes later)
DES MOINES — President Trump and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who are increasingly sparring and treating each other as political foils in the 2020 White House race, are each set to appear on Tuesday in the key early voting state of Iowa — and the Biden campaign wasted no time taking swings. OTTUMWA, Iowa — President Trump and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who are increasingly sparring and treating each other as political foils in the 2020 White House race, are each set to appear on Tuesday in the key early voting state of Iowa — but Mr. Trump did not wait until leaving the White House to get a swing in.
Mr. Biden, who leads in early polls for the Democratic presidential nomination, will call Mr. Trump “an existential threat to America” in a speech in Davenport on Tuesday evening, according to prepared remarks. He will lace into the president over a range of issues, such as “pursuing a damaging and erratic trade war” and his approach to tariff negotiations, as farmers — including in this heavily agricultural state — have struggled. “I heard Biden was a loser,” Mr. Trump told reporters as he departed the Oval Office for his first trip to Iowa since the midterm elections. “Joe never got more than 1 percent. It looks like he’s failing, it looks like his friends from the left are going to overtake him very soon.”
Mr. Trump, who has been frustrated watching the presidential campaign unfold from the sidelines, but who aides say feels confident about his re-election chances, said that he was hoping to face off against Mr. Biden.
“I’d rather run against, I think, Biden than anybody,” he said. “I think he’s the weakest mentally, and I like running against people that are weak mentally. I think Joe is the weakest up here. The other ones have much more energy.”
Mr. Biden, who leads in early polls for the Democratic presidential nomination, was scheduled to make a three-city swing across Iowa on Tuesday, during which he planned to attack Mr. Trump as an “existential threat to America,” according to a copy of the prepared remarks he will deliver at a Tuesday evening speech in Davenport.
While Mr. Trump’s attacks were personal, questioning Mr. Biden’s mental fitness, the former vice president is expected to lace into the president over a range of policy issues, such as “pursuing a damaging and erratic trade war” and his approach to tariff negotiations, as farmers — including in this heavily agricultural state — have struggled.
“Trump doesn’t get the basics. He thinks his tariffs are being paid by China,” Mr. Biden is expected to say. “Any beginning econ student at Iowa or Iowa State could tell you that the American people are paying his tariffs. The cashiers at Target see what’s going on — they know more about economics than Trump.”“Trump doesn’t get the basics. He thinks his tariffs are being paid by China,” Mr. Biden is expected to say. “Any beginning econ student at Iowa or Iowa State could tell you that the American people are paying his tariffs. The cashiers at Target see what’s going on — they know more about economics than Trump.”
Mr. Biden’s campaign released early excerpts from his remarks at 6 a.m. in an attempt to frame the political day to come on the former vice president’s terms, rather than Mr. Trump’s, who usually begins attacking rivals on Twitter in the morning. Mr. Biden’s campaign released excerpts from his remarks at 6 a.m. in an attempt to frame the political day to come on the former vice president’s terms. Mr. Biden appeared ready to deliver some of his most direct and blistering criticism of the president to date, in his latest effort to stay above the Democratic primary fray and to deliver a general-election-themed message focused squarely on defeating Mr. Trump.
Six hours later, as Mr. Trump prepared to depart Washington, he tore into the former vice president, calling him a “loser” who “looks like he’s failing.” Mr. Trump also questioned Mr. Biden’s mental acuity and mocked him for mentioning the president repeatedly in his Iowa remarks. ”That means he’s in trouble,” Mr. Trump said, according to a White House pool report. The schedule for the day had Mr. Biden setting the tone. Mr. Trump, who prides himself on counterpunching, was scheduled to tour an ethanol plant in Council Bluffs in the late afternoon, for what would ostensibly be a White House event, hours after Mr. Biden’s first event in Ottumwa. Later in the evening, Mr. Trump was set to fly Air Force One across the state, appearing in West Des Moines fora state Republican Party fund-raising dinner as Mr. Biden delivers his speech in Davenport.
“I’d rather run against, I think, Biden than anybody,” Mr. Trump said. “I think he’s the weakest mentally and I think Joe is weak mentally. The others have much more energy.” Public and private polls that show Mr. Trump trailing Mr. Biden in critical must-win states have also made him most preoccupied with Mr. Biden, whom he has told aides to describe as old and feeble (Mr. Biden is 76; Mr. Trump will turn 73 this week).
Mr. Trump, who is often at his most animated when in campaign mode, will be in a highly partisan environment Tuesday evening as he addresses a dinner held by the Iowa Republican Party. It’s another potential opportunity for him to draw contrasts with a Democratic rival who is seeking to win back some of the same voters that powered Mr. Trump’s 2016 victory. Mr. Trump was criticized for attacking the former vice president on foreign soil while visiting Tokyo recently. But his trip to Iowa — a state that twice supported former President Barack Obama before flipping decisively for Mr. Trump in 2016 — will provide him with an appropriate stage on which to take on Mr. Biden.
Mr. Biden, meanwhile, appears ready to deliver some of his most direct and blistering criticism of the president to date as he makes three campaign stops across the state, in his latest effort to stay above the Democratic primary fray and to deliver a general-election-themed message focused squarely on defeating Mr. Trump.
The schedule for the day had Mr. Biden setting the tone. Mr. Trump, who prides himself on counterpunching, was scheduled to tour an ethanol plant in Council Bluffs in the late afternoon, for what would ostensibly be a White House event, hours after Mr. Biden’s first event in Ottumwa. Later in the evening, Mr. Trump was set to fly Air Force One across the state, appearing in West Des Moines for the state party fund-raising dinner as Mr. Biden delivers his speech in Davenport.
Mr. Trump, who remains confident of his chances of re-election, has been frustrated, advisers said, by watching the campaign season from the sidelines. Public and private polls that show him trailing Mr. Biden in critical must-win states have also made him most preoccupied with Mr. Biden, whom he has told aides to describe as old and feeble (Mr. Biden is 76; Mr. Trump will turn 73 this week).
Mr. Trump was criticized for attacking the former vice president on foreign soil while visiting Tokyo recently. But his first trip to Iowa since the midterm elections — a state that twice supported former President Barack Obama before flipping decisively for Mr. Trump in 2016 — will provide him with an appropriate stage on which to take on Mr. Biden.
Up to this point, Mr. Biden has largely resisted responding to Mr. Trump’s individual broadsides, insisting repeatedly that he wants to avoid a “mud-wrestling match” with the president and often ignoring shouted questions from reporters about Mr. Trump’s remarks.Up to this point, Mr. Biden has largely resisted responding to Mr. Trump’s individual broadsides, insisting repeatedly that he wants to avoid a “mud-wrestling match” with the president and often ignoring shouted questions from reporters about Mr. Trump’s remarks.
But that hardly means Mr. Biden avoids discussing Mr. Trump. In fact, more than most of his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, Mr. Biden is centering his campaign squarely on defeating the president, calling him an “aberration.” It’s a point of emphasis sharply at odds with several of his Democratic opponents, who believe Trumpism has redefined the Republican Party and say the country needs bigger, structural change that goes beyond defeating one man.But that hardly means Mr. Biden avoids discussing Mr. Trump. In fact, more than most of his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, Mr. Biden is centering his campaign squarely on defeating the president, calling him an “aberration.” It’s a point of emphasis sharply at odds with several of his Democratic opponents, who believe Trumpism has redefined the Republican Party and say the country needs bigger, structural change that goes beyond defeating one man.
At every turn, Mr. Biden is seeking to keep the focus on a possible general election matchup between himself and Mr. Trump. He has recently visited Pennsylvania and Ohio, important general election swing states, arguing that he is able to connect in the industrial Midwest and torching Mr. Trump’s leadership approach.At every turn, Mr. Biden is seeking to keep the focus on a possible general election matchup between himself and Mr. Trump. He has recently visited Pennsylvania and Ohio, important general election swing states, arguing that he is able to connect in the industrial Midwest and torching Mr. Trump’s leadership approach.
He has generally avoided responding to fellow Democrats, even as his opponents ramp up their critiques of him. One exception came Monday, when he implicitly responded to the entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who had criticized him for missing a gathering of Democrats in Iowa over the weekend that drew most of the primary field.He has generally avoided responding to fellow Democrats, even as his opponents ramp up their critiques of him. One exception came Monday, when he implicitly responded to the entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who had criticized him for missing a gathering of Democrats in Iowa over the weekend that drew most of the primary field.
“My granddaughter was graduating,” he said at a fund-raiser. “It was my daughter’s birthday. I would skip inauguration for that.” He is expected to reiterate a version of that message on Tuesday.“My granddaughter was graduating,” he said at a fund-raiser. “It was my daughter’s birthday. I would skip inauguration for that.” He is expected to reiterate a version of that message on Tuesday.
Mr. Biden has also begun to roll out policy platforms, including on climate and education, though he has released fewer than many of his rivals so far. But on the campaign trail he often underscores that the first step to achieving any Democratic priority is beating Mr. Trump.Mr. Biden has also begun to roll out policy platforms, including on climate and education, though he has released fewer than many of his rivals so far. But on the campaign trail he often underscores that the first step to achieving any Democratic priority is beating Mr. Trump.
“If you want to know what the first, most important plank in my climate proposal is, beat Trump,” he said at his campaign’s first large-scale rally, held last month in Philadelphia. “Beat Trump, beat Trump.”“If you want to know what the first, most important plank in my climate proposal is, beat Trump,” he said at his campaign’s first large-scale rally, held last month in Philadelphia. “Beat Trump, beat Trump.”