(NewsNation) — Less than an hour after Joe Biden announced his decision to leave the presidential race, former president and GOP nominee Donald Trump made it very clear his disdain for the current president hasn’t eased.
“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t,” Trump continued.
Other Republicans echoed Trump’s opinion, while Democrats praised the 81-year-old Biden’s decision.
“Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader but he is a truly amazing human being,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement. “His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Biden “a patriotic American who has always put our country first.”
“With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment,” Pelosi said in a statement. “God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness.”
Current House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Biden’s withdrawal speaks ill of the president and his party.
“Having invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president, the self-proclaimed ‘party of democracy’ has proven exactly the opposite,” Johnson wrote.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough,” Johnson added.
Republicans quickly take aim at Harris
Trump’s former press secretary, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, wrote on her X account that Biden is “not fit to run for president, not fit to serve as president. Biden should resign immediately.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott suggested Biden’s move to step down was a premeditated ploy in place prior to his disastrous debate performance.
“It looks more and more like that very early debate was a set up to force Biden to step aside,” Abbott said on X. “Today’s announcement may not have happened without that disastrous debate.”
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, took aim at the woman he now won’t face in a possible debate.
“Joe Biden has been the worst President in my lifetime and Kamala Harris has been right there with him every step of the way. She owns all of these failures, and she lied for nearly four years about Biden’s mental capacity–saddling the nation with a president who can’t do the job. President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoever’s at the top of the Democrat ticket. Bring it on,” he said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis joined the GOP offensive aimed at Harris.
“Kamala Harris was complicit in a massive coverup to hide and deny the fact that Joe Biden was not capable of discharging the duties of the office. She also was the border czar during the worst border crisis in American history. Democrats are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,” DeSantis said.
And the former president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said Harris “owns” Biden’s “left wing policy record.”
“The only difference is that she is even more liberal and less competent than Joe, which is really saying something. She was put in charge of the border and we saw the worst invasion of illegals in our history!!!” he wrote.
Democrats praise Biden, line up behind Harris
Two governors who may get some consideration to join Harris on the ticket issued statements praising Biden.
“President Joe Biden has dedicated his life in service to this nation, and its citizens are all the better for it. His is a storied political career culminating in one of the most accomplished and effective presidencies of our lifetime,” wrote Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
“President Biden has cemented his place among our nation’s finest Presidents. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his service to our great nation,” wrote North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom praised Biden’s efforts as president.
“President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents. Thank you, @JoeBiden,” he wrote.
Ron Klain, the former White House chief of staff who led the effort to prepare Biden for his debate with Trump, had a more mixed tone in his statement: “Now that the donors and electeds have pushed out the only candidate who has ever beaten Trump, it’s time to end the political fantasy games and unite behind the only veteran of a national campaign — our outstanding VP Kamala Harris!! Let’s get real and win in November!
Naomi Biden, the eldest daughter of President Biden’s son Hunter, showered her grandfather with compliments on his record in the White House and on his entire political career.
“Not only has he been—and will continue to be—the most effective president of our lifetime, but he has likely already cemented himself as the most effective and impactful public servant in our nation’s history,” Naomi Biden said.
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