President Joe Biden will give a prime-time speech on Thursday attacking supporters of former President Donald Trump as an “extreme threat to democracy.” The president has become increasingly verbally aggressive toward his political opponents in recent weeks, even going so far as to accuse MAGA Republicans – referring to the Trump slogan “Make America Great Again” – of encouraging “semi-fascism.”
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During a press conference on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the speech will be about “the soul of the nation,” adding that President Biden has “been very clear” when it comes to “the extreme…MAGA Republicans.”
“He believes that we need to continue to fight for our democracy. And he’s been very clear. You look at the extreme wing of a party — the MAGA Republicans — it’s not stopping. It is continuing,” Jean-Pierre said.
“And this is — this is an important time. And he is — again, he’s not going to shy away from it. He’s going to continue to lift that up and what he sees and what he’s going to call out,” she added. “And, you know, he believes that there are a majority of Americans who disagree with that, who disagree on the attack of our core values as a country, and he’s going to speak directly to them tomorrow. That’s what you’re going to hear.”
Jean-Pierre said Biden considers MAGA Republicans “the most energized part of the Republican Party” who also pose an “extremist threat” to the United States.
“But, you know, the President thinks that there is an extremist threat to our democracy. The President has been clear as he can be on that particular piece. When we talk about our democracy, when we talk about our freedoms, the way that he sees it is the MAGA Republicans are the most energized part of the Republican Party. That extreme — this is an extreme threat to our democracy, to our freedom, to our rights,” Jean-Pierre said.
According to The Hill, Biden’s speech will take place in Philadelphia at Independence Hall.
Biden, who vowed to unify America, attacked Trump supporters during a speech last week, calling them a “threat” to democracy and accusing them of “semi-fascism.” Biden also said he doesn’t “respect” Trump supporters. More than 70 million Americans voted for Trump in 2020.
“What’s happened is there are not many real Republicans anymore … I respect conservative Republicans, I don’t respect these MAGA Republicans,” he added. “What we’re seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of an extreme MAGA philosophy. It’s not just Trump, it’s the entire philosophy that underpins the — I’m going to say something — it’s like semi-fascism.”
