Biden Slams Trump for “Taking a Wrecking Ball to Democracy”
Former President Joe Biden delivered a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump during a Nebraska Democratic gala, accusing him of “taking a wrecking ball” to democracy. Biden mocked Trump’s demolition of the White House East Wing to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, calling it “a perfect symbol of his presidency.”
He criticized Trump’s claims of a “golden age,” saying the only gold was in his Oval Office décor, and accused him of serving the wealthy instead of ordinary Americans. Biden also connected his own prostate cancer recovery to the need for affordable health care, warning that Trump and Republicans were slashing funding and raising costs.
The speech came amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, tied to disputes over health care subsidies. Biden celebrated Democratic victories in recent elections—including wins by Zohran Mamdani in New York, Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey—as proof voters were rejecting Trump’s agenda.
He urged supporters to “put in the work” to protect democracy, declaring, “No one, not even the president, can destroy it if we stand together.”
Meanwhile, Trump faces political turbulence as Democrats gain ground in gubernatorial and local races, signaling growing dissatisfaction with his leadership. Analysts say the results in states like New Jersey and Virginia reveal cracks in Trump’s political dominance and test the GOP’s reliance on his brand.
Despite holding power, Trump has faced judicial skepticism over his sweeping use of executive authority and murmurs within his party about his limits under the Constitution’s two-term rule. While he insists he’s “not a dictator,” critics say his actions—deploying troops in U.S. cities, expanding tariff powers, and rewriting election maps—undermine democratic norms.
Democrats, buoyed by their election wins, see these results as the first real sign of resistance to Trump’s second term. As Biden put it: “Democracy isn’t guaranteed. We have to defend it—every day.”