WASHINGTON (Fwrd Axis) — President Joe Biden slammed former President Donald Trump on Monday for failing to act during the January 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, a rare and direct attack ahead of Trump’s return to D.C. since leaving office for a “policy speech” with a law and order theme.
Speaking virtually at a conference for Black law enforcement officials being held in Florida, Biden slammed Trump by name for putting law enforcement officials in danger during the Capitol attack.
“Every day we rely on law enforcement to save lives. Then, on January 6 we relied on law enforcement to save our democracy,” Biden said. “We saw what happened: the Capitol Police, the DC Metropolitan Police, and other law enforcement agencies were attacked and assaulted before our very eyes. Speared. Sprayed. Stomped on. Brutalized. Lives were lost.”
The comments mark the first time Biden has spoken publicly about the January 6 committee hearings.
“And for three hours, the defeated former President of the United States watched it all happen as he sat in the comfort of the private dining room next to the Oval Office. While he was doing that, brave law enforcement officers were subject to the medieval hell for three hours, dripping in blood, surrounded by carnage,” Biden added.
The President’s comments come after last week’s explosive January 6 public hearings, which filled in the gaps on the 187 minutes from when former President Donald Trump told his supporters to march to the Capitol, and when he finally told them to “go home.”
White House officials tell FWRD AXIS News that Biden has watched pieces of the January 6 congressional hearings and watched the beginning of last Thursday’s, which focused on Trump’s actions that day.
The testimony and videos shown by the committee painted a picture of a President not wanting to call off the attack, instead choosing to watch it on television for the full three hours.
The committee played the unedited footage of Trump’s videotaped address from the White House on Jan. 7. Trump became upset when he read a line saying, “This election is now over.” He stopped and told his staff, “I don’t want to say the election is over. I just want to say, ‘Congress has certified the results without saying the election is over, OK?’”
Biden on Monday slammed those who supported the attempt to block certification of the election by saying they could not call themselves pro-police.
“Face to face with a crazed mob that believed the lies of the defeated President, the police were heroes that day. Donald Trump lacked the courage to act,” he said. “The brave women and men in blue all across this nation should never forget that. You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-cop. You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-democracy. You can’t be pro-insurrection and pro-America.”
Biden also called out Florida Republicans for not supporting a ban on assault weapons.
“You hear a lot of politicians about how much they love you, how much they care about you, how they’ll do anything for you,” he said. “In the state you’re in today, Gov. (Ron) DeSantis, Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Rick Scott, all oppose banning assault weapons.”
“To me, it’s simple. If you can’t support banning weapons of war on America’s streets, you’re not on the side of police,” he said.
Both Biden and Trump could be headed for a rematch in 2024 with Biden saying he intends to run for re-election and Trump aides saying he could announce a third bid in September before the midterm elections.
“President Trump sees a nation in decline that is driven, in part, by rising crime and communities becoming less safe under Democrat policies,” Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich said in a statement. “His remarks will highlight the policy failures of Democrats, while laying out an America First vision for public safety that will surely be a defining issue during the midterms and beyond.”
