Former President Donald Trump just can’t seem to stop talking about Joe Biden. Even when he’s promoting his Super Bowl interview, he has to take a jab at the former president.
“There hasn’t been one in four years (Gee I wonder why),” Trump posted on Truth Social, referencing Biden’s decision to skip a Super Bowl interview. That was unusual since Biden had done similar interviews in his first two years as president. David Axelrod, a Democratic strategist, says it shows trouble for Biden.
Two days later, Trump took another shot, claiming he was revoking Biden’s security clearance and access to classified information. “I will always protect our national security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED,” he wrote.
Even though Trump is deep into his second term, he can’t help but mention Biden almost every day. It seems like no matter what he’s doing, whether it’s signing new executive orders or pushing for government changes, Biden is always in his mind.
“Trump likes to punch down, and Biden is a tempting target with his unpopularity,” says Doug Heye, a Republican strategist. “Biden is one of Trump’s favorite punching bags and he seems to enjoy it.”
Another strategist adds, “Trump always goes after the weakest link, and right now, that’s Biden.”
For Democrats, this all stems back to 2020, when Biden defeated Trump in the election. That loss still eats at Trump, according to Lynda Tran, a Democratic strategist. “He suffered the greatest professional loss of his life when he lost resoundingly to President Biden in 2020,” she says. “He’s going to keep drawing contrasts, whether it’s about policy or personal style.”
Trump has a history of using his rivals to stay relevant. After beating Hillary Clinton in 2016, he loved calling her “Crooked Hillary” and bringing her up in speeches. His posts on social media got under Clinton’s skin, and she said Trump was “obsessed” with her.
“I’m going to keep speaking out,” Clinton said in 2017.
Unlike Clinton, Biden has largely disappeared from the public eye since leaving office, and Trump hasn’t been nearly as focused on Biden’s potential successor, Vice President Kamala Harris, or other Democrats like former President Obama. In fact, Trump recently said he and Obama “probably do” like each other after a friendly chat at Jimmy Carter’s funeral.
Instead, Trump sticks to comparing his situation to Biden’s. “Trump has spent a lot of time making Joe Biden a boogeyman, and it’s hard for him to let go of it,” says Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist. “Trump always needs a villain, and for his voters, Biden is still that villain.”
Despite Biden leaving office with approval ratings in the dumps, some Democrats still blame him for Trump’s win in 2024, especially after age and mental acuity became major concerns in Biden’s reelection campaign.
A recent CBS News/YouGov poll shows Trump with positive approval ratings in the early days of his second term. Fifty-three percent approve of how he’s handling the presidency, while 47 percent do not.
However, some Democrats argue that Trump’s obsession with attacking Biden is just a distraction. Tim Hogan, a Democratic strategist, says, “Trump sees Biden as a convenient scapegoat. He blames every problem he faces on the previous administration to avoid taking responsibility for his own actions.” But, Hogan warns, this tactic could wear thin over time.
Basil Smikle, another strategist, predicts that the Biden comparisons will only work for so long. “By summer, Trump will be focused on the economy and his own actions,” Smikle says. “The Biden attacks will lose their power.”
Trump’s obsession with Biden isn’t going away anytime soon, but it may not be the winning strategy he thinks it is.
