President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that his predecessor, Joe Biden, was not directly responsible for the migration crisis in the United States, but rather acted under "cognitive decline" and "was manipulated by his team," which he accuses of treason.
The message, published this afternoon on his Truth Social network, comes just days after it was publicly confirmed that Biden is facing a cancer diagnosis, a situation that has generated expressions of solidarity from various sectors, including Trump, who, however, has been criticized for missing the opportunity to show leadership and compassion.
“Joe Biden did not support open borders; he never talked about it... It was not his idea to open the border and nearly destroy our country,” wrote Trump.
"They were the people who knew that he was cognitively impaired, and who took control of the Autopen. They stole the presidency from him and put us in great danger," he emphasized.
In the same message, Trump referred to former President Biden in a condescending manner, stating that the "Joe Biden we all knew" would never have allowed criminals, drug traffickers, and people with uncontrolled mental disorders into the United States.
According to the President, the most questioned immigration policies of the Democratic government were not decisions made by Biden, but rather by a supposed group of conspirators who allegedly took over his official signature using the Autopen —an automated system for approving documents— and he accuses them of committing "high treason."
"Something very severe should happen to these treacherous criminals who tried to destroy our country, but they couldn't... because I appeared," he concluded, finishing with his usual slogan: "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
The tone of the message was interpreted by analysts as an attempt to reframe Biden's responsibility in the migration crisis, but at the same time, it was seen as a rather unempathetic and opportunistic gesture in light of the recent health announcement from the former Democratic president.
Trump has only issued a brief and terse message of support for Biden following the announcement of his illness, but now he portrays him as a puppet manipulated by "traitors."
This is not the first time that the president has used Biden's supposed mental fragility as a political weapon. He has also consistently attacked his predecessor in the White House for his immigration policy, which is completely opposite to that of the current Administration.
However, the current context—characterized by a serious illness affecting the Democrat and the rollback of several of his policies at the hands of Trump—has made this new message particularly sensitive and controversial.
Especially considering that Biden is regarded as one of the oldest and most experienced politicians in the history of the United States, both in terms of age and the accumulated experience in high-level public offices, which made him a skilled negotiator and diplomat.
Frequently asked questions about Trump's statements on Biden and the migration crisis
Why does Trump exempt Biden from responsibility for the migration crisis?
Trump stated that Biden was not directly responsible for the migration crisis, but instead acted under "cognitive decline" and was manipulated by his team. According to Trump, the decisions that led to this crisis were not Biden's, but rather those of a group that supposedly took advantage of his condition to make decisions on his behalf.
What is the Autopen and how is it related to the accusations against Trump?
The Autopen is an automated system used to sign official documents. Trump accused that the Autopen was used to forge Biden's signature, suggesting that important decisions were made without his direct knowledge, which he describes as "high treason."
What has been the response of the political community to Biden's illness?
The news of Biden's cancer diagnosis sparked messages of solidarity from various leaders, including Trump, who expressed his best wishes for a swift recovery. However, criticisms of Trump have emerged due to his use of Biden's health situation in a political context.
What measures has Trump taken regarding Biden's immigration policy?
Trump has pushed measures to dismantle Biden's immigration policies, including transferring jurisdiction of federal lands to the military to better control the border, and eliminating the CBP One application for asylum appointments, replacing it with a new platform designed to facilitate self-deportation.
Filed under: