Now that President Joe Biden is no longer running for re-election, he is stepping up his rhetoric against the Republicans, taking his cue from Donald Trump.
His first act in office was to make jokes about his advanced age and give Trump a new nickname: “Donald Dump.”
Biden used the new nickname during a White House event Thursday celebrating his administration’s agreement with pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug costs under Medicare.
During his speech, Biden went on the offensive, accusing Republicans of not supporting Democrats’ efforts to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies and mocking Trump for the new name.
“What’s the name of the guy we’re running against? Donald Dump or Donald whatever? They want to get rid of what we passed,” Biden said.
Biden, 81, also joked about his own age in his speech, after months of criticism from Trump (who is three years younger than Biden), Republicans and some Democrats who believed he was too old to run for re-election.
“I served in the Senate for 270 years,” Biden joked. “I know I only look 40, but I’m a little older.”
“I was only 29 when I was elected,” he said, noting that he had previously been criticized for being “too damn young.”
He added: “I’m too damn old now.”
The announcement of the Big Pharma deal was the first joint appearance by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris since Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and Harris secured the Democratic presidential nomination.
Harris was the first to speak. She acknowledged her achievements in fighting drug costs as California’s attorney general and thanked Biden for his leadership in the administration. As Harris gave Biden the floor, she applauded the president in the audience, shouting, “Thank you, Joe!”
At the end of the event, Biden once again emphasized the length of his political career.
“I thank God that in the last three months of my term as President of the United States, I was finally able to accomplish what I tried to do as a young Senator, at 30 years old,” Biden concluded. “Thank you, God. Thank you.”
