Former President Donald J. Trump launched a verbal assault on President Biden during Thursday night’s debate, hurling a barrage of attacks that were often false, lacked context, or were misleading. Trump painted Biden as a weak and ineffective leader, accusing him of corruption and incompetence on various fronts.
Throughout the debate, Trump targeted Biden’s personal character, claiming that global leaders were laughing at him and accusing him of being paid by China without any evidence to support his claims. He also falsely blamed Biden for a wave of immigrants allegedly killing citizens at an unprecedented level, a claim not supported by available statistics.
One of the most striking moments of the debate was when Trump falsely accused Biden of encouraging Russia to attack Ukraine, despite Biden’s efforts to support Ukraine and warn Russia against invasion. The moderators, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, did not fact-check Trump’s assertions, allowing them to go unchallenged.
While Biden managed to deliver some memorable comebacks, he was largely on the defensive against Trump’s relentless attacks. Trump seized on Biden’s halting speech and accused him of not knowing what he was saying, further undermining Biden’s credibility.
Immigration was a key focus of Trump’s attacks, as he accused Biden of fostering a crime wave through lax border policies. However, experts have debunked the notion that immigration leads to higher crime rates, and Trump’s claims were not backed up by data.
Trump also targeted Biden’s reputation on the world stage, claiming that global leaders, including Putin, did not respect him. He revived accusations of corruption against Biden and his family, including Hunter Biden’s recent felony conviction related to buying a gun while struggling with drug addiction.
Overall, Trump’s aggressive tactics during the debate highlighted his ongoing efforts to undermine Biden’s leadership and credibility, setting the stage for a contentious political battle ahead.
