On Tuesday, President Joe Biden delivered a speech at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in which he took aim at former President Donald Trump and his threat to democracy.
The speech was part of Biden’s “Defending Democracy” tour, which is aimed at highlighting the importance of protecting the nation’s democratic institutions. In his speech, Biden argued that Trump’s actions during his presidency, including his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, were a direct threat to democracy.
“We must never forget that the very foundation of our democracy is the peaceful transfer of power,” Biden said. “Donald Trump sought to reverse that. He sought to overturn the will of the people. He sought to undermine the integrity of our elections. He sought to silence the voices of millions of Americans.”
Biden went on to criticize Trump’s attempts to undermine the rule of law, noting that the former president had “attacked the independence of the judiciary, the press, and the intelligence community.” He also noted that Trump had “encouraged violence and stoked division” and had “undermined the legitimacy of our elections.”
Biden concluded his speech by calling on Americans to come together and defend democracy. “We must come together to protect our democracy,” he said. “We must come together to defend our Constitution. We must come together to protect the rule of law. We must come together to protect the integrity of our elections. We must come together to protect the rights of all Americans.”
Biden’s speech was met with praise from many Democrats, who applauded his strong words and commitment to defending democracy. Republicans, however, were less enthusiastic, with some arguing that Biden was using the speech to score political points.
Regardless of the political implications, Biden’s speech was a powerful reminder of the importance of protecting democracy and the rule of law. As Biden said, “Democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires all of us to be engaged and to be vigilant.”