Iowa, USA – Former US President Donald Trump, addressing thousands of supporters in Iowa, has reportedly called President Joe Biden a “destroyer of American democracy,” as per The Washington Post. In a fiery speech, Trump accused Biden and his “radical left allies” of falsely portraying themselves as defenders of democracy.
Trump asserted, “Joe Biden is not the defender of American democracy. Joe Biden is the destroyer of American democracy,” while characterizing his campaign as a “righteous crusade” to liberate the republic from what he described as the Biden administration’s criminal activities.
Attempting to downplay criminal charges related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and counter warnings of his potential threat to democracy, Trump portrayed investigations into his presidency as efforts to “overthrow the duly elected President.” He sought to deflect attention from his commitments to retaliate against opponents if he returns to the White House.
As candidates intensify their presence in Iowa ahead of the January 15 caucuses, Trump drew comparisons between Biden and a fascist tyrant. Campaign signs reading ‘BIDEN ATTACKS DEMOCRACY’ were reportedly distributed during the event. Trump accused Biden and his associates of attempting to stifle free speech, censor critics, and criminalize dissent, referring to them as “Marxists, Communists, and Fascists.”
“They’ve been waging an all-out war on American democracy,” Trump claimed, asserting that a return to the White House under his leadership would restore freedom to the nation. He declared, “If you put me back in the White House, that reign will be over, and America will be a free nation once again.”
Jennifer Mercieca, a historian of American political rhetoric at Texas A&M University, commented that Trump’s speech reflected the resonance of President Biden’s framing of the 2024 election as a battle between democracy and authoritarianism, indicating the potency of this narrative with voters.
