President Joe Biden visited South Florida with a dual purpose—fundraising and critiquing Donald Trump. At a Jupiter fundraiser, Biden urged donors to help ensure Trump becomes a “loser again” and made a sign of the cross while expressing concern about Florida facing a “real dose of Trumpism.”
The president accused Trump of leaving the U.S. in a “mess” during the height of the Covid pandemic and when the economy was in turmoil. Biden criticized Trump on various fronts, including mass shootings, the economy, abortion rights, and the January 6 Capitol attack.
Betsy Sheerr, a retiree and Democratic Party activist, noted that Biden effectively contrasted life under Trump with the potential consequences of his re-election. Despite trailing Trump by double digits in polls and losing Florida by over three percentage points in 2020, Biden expressed optimism about winning the state.
Joe Biden Sparks MAGA Outrage (Credits: Newsweek)
The fundraiser occurred in Jupiter, near Trump’s residence in Palm Beach County, where the former president faces accusations of hoarding classified documents at Mar-A-Lago.
While Biden briefly addressed the Middle East crisis to reporters outside the White House, he did not discuss it during the fundraiser. The president only mentioned Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and did not bring up Trump’s indictments.
The event, attended by about 100 guests, featured Biden boasting about the current state of the economy and criticizing Trump’s desire for an economic downturn before the election. Biden mockingly referred to Trump as “Donald Herbert Hoover Trump” and remarked on Trump’s impact on job numbers.
Biden also joked about Trump’s response to a mass shooting at Perry High School in Iowa, expressing somberness and anger during that part of the speech.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed Biden’s chances of winning Florida as “delusional” and emphasized the perceived success of President Trump’s policies.
Biden received significant applause when discussing abortion rights, particularly referencing a ballot measure expected in November to legalize abortion for up to 24 weeks in Florida.
Later in the day, Biden addressed another group of donors at a fundraiser in Coral Gables, reiterating his criticisms of Trump. The fundraising efforts by Biden, the Democratic National Committee, and joint fundraising committees yielded over $97 million in the final three months of 2023, as announced earlier this month.
