Joe Biden was at a rally in North Carolina when he joked about sending Trump to prison
President Biden reassured the crowd at a North Carolina rally that Donald Trump could still go to prison before the election.
Biden was discussing the former president’s legal woes when a loud chant of “lock him up” was raised. The President’s response? “There’s time for that”—with a smile.
Crowd chants “Lock Him Up” about President Trump. Joe Biden responds “There’s time for that.”
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 28, 2024
The President’s response was surprising, given that he’s repeatedly criticized Trump as a man who wants to lock up his enemies.
In recent months, there’s been a growing focus on the idea of a Trump second term being a “retribution” or even a “revenge” presidency, with Trump to seeking to turn the tables on his persecutors of the last eight years. Trump has promised repeatedly that he will “destroy the deep state,” and the prospect of an angrier, wiser Trump, one who won’t repeat the mistakes of his first term in office, has energised his supporters.
Trump’s mugshot was even interpreted by the mainstream media as a kind of “threat,” as the president fixed the camera with a steely, “menacing” gaze.
But Trump has been careful to downplay suggestions he will go after his personal enemies if he wins in November.
During the debate on Thursday, Trump was asked directly whether he would seek “retribution.”
“Well, I said my retribution is going to be success. We’re going to make this country successful again, because right now it’s a failing nation. My retribution is going to be success.”
In response, Joe Biden said “it’s simply wrong” for a president to “seek retribution against any American.”
“No American president’s ever spoken like that before.”
Chants of “lock her up”, referring to then-presidential-candidate Hillary Clinton, became a fixture at Trump rallies during the 2016 election after Trump’s immortal “because you’d be in jail” burn.
