During a fiery campaign rally on Friday, President Donald Trump questioned Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s mental fitness, reports The Hill .
Trump spent a significant part of his speech attacking Democrats, but zeroed in on the former vice president. He questioned Biden’s mental and physical fitness for office, and insulted, mocked, and belittled him.
“We’ve now named him, very slow Sleepy Joe,” Trump said of Biden.
“He’s gotten slower and slower,” the president added, in another jab at the Democratic front-runner’s cognitive abilities.
He then opined that Biden winning the nomination would be bad for ratings, suggesting that Americans wouldn’t be excited to watch Biden debate.
“I’m afraid if he gets the nomination he’ll be so slow we’ll have the lowest-rated debates in history.”
“I don’t think Sleepy Joe will get it,” the president added, referring to the Democratic nomination.
Biden has become one of Trump’s favorite targets. The president has continued to accuse his rival of wrongdoing, alleging that the Democrat and his son engaged in corruption.
During the rally, Trump repeated his claims, giving Biden a backhanded compliment.
“You know in a certain way, I was impressed because I didn’t think he had the energy, the brain power,” Trump said.
Some have suggested that Trump is targeting Biden because he believes the former vice president would be a formidable opponent in 2020.
According to CBS News , Trump dismissed such claims during his Friday night rally, explaining to his supporters that he has no reason to be worried about Biden, having beaten the Bushes, the Clintons, and former President Barack Obama.
Trump said he “beat the Clinton dynasty, the Bush dynasty, the Barack Hussein Obama dynasty,” but “Sleepy Joe, I’m worried about?”
According to an anonymous White House whistleblower, Trump pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate the former vice president and his son, Hunter. According to the whistleblower, the president threatened to cut military aid, and had a quid pro quo agreement with Ukraine.
Joe Biden: “Number one is that Vladimir Putin doesn’t want me to be president. And number two, Donald Trump doesn’t want me to be the nominee. Spending a lot of money to make sure I’m not. I’m flattered… I will beat him like a drum if I’m your nominee. And he knows it.” #LJ19 pic.twitter.com/ZgGadwfTCi
— The Hill (@thehill) November 2, 2019
Trump’s actions constitute an impeachable offense, according to Democrats in the House of Representatives, who claim the president used the power of his office to his own benefit, and to damage a political opponent’s presidential campaign.
In response to Trump’s alleged pressuring of the Ukrainian government, the House of Representatives launched a formal impeachment inquiry. Since then, the president’s attacks on Biden and other Democrats have only intensified.
Biden is still the Democratic front-runner, according to most polls, but latest surveys show that other candidates are breathing down his neck.
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren have surged in key early states, and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is turning into a viable candidate as well, polls suggest.