Former US President Joe Biden reentered the public spotlight on Tuesday evening (April 15), delivering his first speech since leaving office. Speaking at the "Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled" conference in Chicago, Biden lashed out at Donald Trump's administration, accusing the president of inflicting severe damage on the country in less than 100 days.
"In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction. It's kind of breathtaking," Biden remarked. He directed sharp criticism at Trump's policies, particularly those involving job cuts and changes to social security. Biden alleged that the Republican Party is intentionally undermining social security institutions to "plunder" the social security trust fund. He also accused Trump of attempting to divert these funds to advance his tax-cut agenda.
CNN noted that Biden has remained relatively absent from public life since his departure from office on Jan. 20, with only brief appearances in non-media settings. This speech marks his return to the public stage as he seeks to influence the political climate ahead of the midterm elections.
Time Magazine described Biden's comeback as "the comeback no one is asking for, starting just 85 days after Biden left the White House." It also pointed out that, unlike other former presidents who traditionally step back from the public eye for a period, Biden appears to be actively attending Washington's meetings about his post-presidential life. "And Biden clearly relished the opportunity to step back on stage," Time wrote.
However, Biden's return has not been met with universal acclaim. According to the Associated Press, while some Democratic leaders welcomed his reemergence, others expressed frustration. Progressive activist Norman Solomon remarked, "The best role that Biden could play going forward would be to stay off the public stage. That might sound harsh, but frankly, his self-centered mentality has already done so much damage to the Democratic Party and the country that he certainly owes us some belated humility."
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