Topline
President Joe Biden called former President Donald Trump a “convicted felon,” referencing Trump’s historic 34-count conviction, in the one of multiple heated moments of name-calling during Thursday’s debate, prompting Trump to call the president a “criminal.”
US President Joe Biden and former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump ... [+]
Key Facts
Biden asked Trump how much money he owes in civil penalties, and brought up allegations Trump had “sex with a porn star ... while your wife was pregnant” in reference to the claims raised by adult film star Stormy Daniels, saying the former president has “the morals of an alley cat.”
Trump denied the Daniels allegations and insisted the criminal cases against him were politically motivated, including his conviction in Manhattan for falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to Daniels.
Trump called Biden a “criminal,” raising unproven allegations Biden used his influence as vice president to benefit his son, Hunter Biden, who was recently convicted of federal gun-related charges.
Trump and Biden also said the other was the worst president in the country’s history.
Earlier in the debate, Biden called Trump a “sucker” and a loser,” referring to claims made by Trump’s former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly that Trump called military members who died in combat “losers” and those who were wounded or captured “suckers.”
The president said to Trump: “You’re the sucker, you’re the loser.”
Trump denied Kelly’s accusation in response to Biden, said it was “made up” and demanded Biden apologize.
Tangent
The allegation that Trump called deceased American service members “losers” first surfaced in a 2020 Atlantic article. Trump has long denied the allegation, but Kelly later confirmed the quote.
Key Background
Biden and Trump headed into the debate polling within less than two points of each other, according to Real Clear Politics’ polling average, making the face-off one of the most important nights of the 2024 campaign as any marginal shift in support could change the outcome of the election. Trump, for the most part, contained his infamously combative demeanor that prompted moderators in his first 2020 debate with Biden to repeatedly cut him off when he interrupted Biden. The candidates’ mics were muted Thursday to prevent interruptions.
Further Viewing
Further Reading
Trump-Biden Debate Could Shake Up The Race—Changing 16% Of Voters’ Minds, New Poll Says (Forbes)
