Joe Biden reportedly called Donald Trump a “sick f***” in private chats with his team, after accusing the former president of taking pleasure in others’ misfortunes.
The incident, which Politico reports was caught on tape, unfolded as he watched the US Capitol riots from his private White House dining room on January 6, 2021.
Biden reportedly told his closest advisors that Trump “delights in others’ misfortunes” and poses a “presents a clear and present danger to democracy” through his “encouragement of political violence”.
He also referred to him as a “sick f**k” behind closed doors.
The current president was also upset with Trump’s public jibes at Paul Pelosi, who was the victim of a hammer attack at his home in 2022 while his wife, Nancy Pelosi, was in Washington.
Trump made light of the incident to his followers, leading Biden to reportedly say “what a f***ing a***hole the guy is” and “he laughed about it, what a sick…”.
In September, the former president told a crowd in California: ‘We’ll stand up to crazy Nancy Pelosi, who ruined San Francisco – how’s her husband doing, anybody know?
“And she’s against building a wall at our border, even though she has a wall around her house – which obviously didn’t do a very good job.’
Paul Pelosi was rushed to hospital after a brutal attack by David DePape, who was found guilty last year. A Trump campaign spokesperson criticised Joe Biden’s comments about the former president.
“It’s a shame that Crooked Joe Biden disrespects the presidency both publicly and privately,” said Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser for the Trump campaign. “But then again, it’s no surprise he disrespects the 45th President the same way he disrespects the American people with his failed policies.”
Biden and his team have previously slammed Trump for cancelling a planned visit to a cemetery for Americans killed in World War I due to bad weather.
Trump had been set to lay a wreath and observe a moment of silence at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial, near Belleau Wood and about 60 miles northeast of Paris.
Instead of visiting the cemetery, Trump spent much of the day following a meeting and lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron at the U.S. ambassador’s residence, where he was staying during events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.
In place of Trump, the White House chief of staff, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly; the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen. Joe Dunford; and several members of the White House staff attended. The Battle of Belleau Wood was a key conflict in the war and a significant event in Marine Corps history.
Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security adviser for President Barack Obama, accused Trump of “blowing off honouring American servicemen who died for us” and suggested that the White House should have had a backup plan.
