In his first television interview since withdrawing from the presidential race, President Joe Biden issued a stark warning, labeling Republican candidate Donald Trump as “a genuine danger to American security.”
“Mark my words, if he wins this election, watch what happens,” Biden said in a pre-recorded interview with CBS News, which aired on Sunday. “He’s a genuine danger to American security. Look, we’re at an inflection point in world history, and democracy is the key.”
At 81, Biden has kept a low profile since stepping out of the race, a decision that followed concerns about his age and mental acuity, particularly after a lackluster debate performance against Trump. In the brief interview, recorded last week at the White House, Biden appeared frail but coherent. He admitted to underperforming in the debate but emphasized that he has “no serious problem” health-wise.
Biden explained that his exit was driven by concerns from fellow Democratic politicians, who feared his continued candidacy could harm their re-election chances. He made clear that his primary focus remains preventing Trump from regaining power.
“A number of my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate thought that I was going to hurt them in the (election) races,” Biden said. “A critical issue for me still is—this is not a joke—maintaining this democracy. I have an obligation to the country to do what is the most important thing we can do, and that is—we must, we must, we must defeat Trump.”
Backing Harris
Biden expressed pride in his administration’s record on job creation, investment, and the COVID-19 recovery, and he pledged to campaign vigorously for Vice President Kamala Harris, who has stepped in as the Democratic nominee.
“I’m going to do whatever Kamala thinks I can do to help most,” he stated.
Biden’s age had become a focal point of the 2024 campaign, and Democratic prospects have brightened since his withdrawal, with Harris enjoying a surge in support that has put Trump on the defensive. Biden revealed that he initially intended to serve only one term after his 2020 victory but was persuaded to stay on.
“I thought of myself as being a transition president. I can’t even say how old I am. It’s hard for me to get it out of my mouth, but things got moving so quickly, it didn’t happen,” Biden told CBS’s Robert Costa.
Meanwhile, Trump’s light campaign schedule has drawn criticism, with his running mate, J.D. Vance, taking the lead on Sunday morning talk shows. Vance addressed various issues, including white supremacist attacks, child care, asylum seekers, and abortion.
In a contentious exchange with CBS’s Margaret Brennan, Vance objected to repeated questions about abortion. “I’m still trying to get a clear answer,” Brennan responded.
Vance also suggested that Harris is the one “calling the shots” in the Biden administration. “If she’s not calling the shots, Dana, who is?” he asked CNN’s Dana Bash.
