President Donald Trump's overall behavior, including his tweets against four Democratic congresswomen and his actions internationally, is "not only shameful, but it's incredibly damaging," former Vice President Joe Biden says in an interview airing Tuesday.
"We have led the world by the power of our example," Biden told MSNBC "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski Monday in Iowa. "What presidents say, they're the face of America, like it or not...and the idea that Donald Trump says and does the things he does is just absolutely despicable."
Trump has determined that the only way he can stay in power is to divide the United States, Biden said, and "it is dangerous."
"Our children are listening," he said. "What's going to happen this semester when a 6-year-old kid has an immigrant kid or a kid from another background speaking with an accent in the room and making fun of him? What is the teacher going to do? The president says it. It's disgraceful."
Meanwhile, Biden said he's ready for the next debate, and he's not backing down eventually from Trump, even though he's been criticized for his soft reaction to Sen. Kamala Harris and her questions about his early-Senate vote on busing.
He also dismissed Trump's comments on his age and stamina with a joke.
"I would say come on Donald, come on, man. How many push-ups do you want to do here, pal?" said Biden.
He also said he remains friendly with former President Barack Obama, but he wants to earn the Democratic nomination on his own.
"This is not a third term of Obama," said Biden. "This — the world has changed. It's different. We have the same value set, he and I. And, you know, I don't think we gave him enough credit. He's a guy that our kids could look up to and they did look up to. But it's a different world. The same things don't apply."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.