Joe Biden took aim at President Trump Tuesday at a campaign event in Iowa, calling him a threat to the country.
“I believe that the president is literally an existential threat to this country,” the former vice president said. “He is generally a threat to our core values.”
Biden said Trump was against America’s values of decency, honor, and knowing there is something larger than oneself.
“It’s about fear and loathing. It’s about the way he calls people the names he calls them. No president has done something like that,” Biden said of Trump’s temperament.
Biden’s comments come as Trump, 72, earlier in the day chided the leading Democratic White House aspirant, 76. Trump said Biden is his preferred challenger because he appears weaker than other Democratic hopefuls.
“I’d rather run against, I think, Biden than anybody. I think he’s the weakest mentally and I like running against people that are weak mentally. I think Joe is the weakest up here,” Trump said pointing to his head. “The other ones have much more energy.”
Biden’s appearance in Iowa follows him skipping a major Democratic gathering that featured 19 of his fellow presidential primary competitors in favor of attending his granddaughter’s graduation.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Biden’s assertion that Trump is “an existential threat” is “truly laughable.”
Trump is holding a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa later in the day.
