Donald Trump called Joe Biden a “mental retard” during the presidential election campaign, according to a Wall Street Journal White House reporter.
The facts: In an Oval Office policy meeting in early 2020, then-President Trump voiced disbelief that he was projected to lose to Biden according to a Monday Vanity Fair report based on Michael Bender’s forthcoming book.
- “How am I losing in the polls to a mental retard?’” Trump asked, per Bender.
- Trump reportedly believed Biden would be replaced by another candidate, like Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama, since Biden’s age and his propensity for gaffes would lead Democrats to reject him at the convention.
- “‘Frankly, We Did Win This Election’: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost” is due to be released August 10.
Being there: Trump publicly fueled questions about Biden’s fitness for office during the campaign, and he has continued to do so since the election.
- “Do you ever notice when he had a hard time going up the stairs on the plane, nobody talks about that?” Trump said in a speech at Saturday’s North Carolina GOP convention, referring to the president’s high-profile March stumble.
