Even after being out of office for over three months, Donald Trump continues to frequently mention his predecessor, Joe Biden. He often references Biden when discussing various topics, including blaming him or making negative comments. Recently, Trump has invoked Biden’s name when questioned about the stock market, the conflict in Gaza, efforts to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and his choice to send Venezuelan individuals to a prison in El Salvador.
When asked by NBC’s Kristen Welker on Friday when he would take responsibility for the state of the U.S. economy, Trump responded that the positive aspects were due to the “Trump economy,” while the negative aspects were due to the “Biden economy.” According to , this was one of approximately 20 mentions of “Biden” during the interview. The previous week, Trump referenced Biden a dozen times in an interview with TIME.
According to a TIME analysis of transcripts from Trump’s public statements and those of his key spokespeople, “Biden” was the fifth most commonly used word during the Trump White House’s first 100 days. The former President’s surname was used more often than “border” and slightly less often than “deal.” The most frequent word was “great,” followed by “American” and “tariff.” TIME employed an AI algorithm to analyze 92 events featuring on-camera remarks by Trump, as well as press briefings conducted by his top aides at the White House, to arrive at these figures.
Andrew Bates, Biden’s former senior deputy White House press secretary, believes Trump’s consistent blaming of his predecessor is “counterproductive.” Bates argues that the economy was stronger when Biden left office and that Trump’s actions damaged it. Therefore, every time Trump mentions Biden’s name, it reminds people of a time when the economy was doing better.
However, Trump seems content to keep blaming Biden for unfavorable economic news. After the Commerce Department revealed data last week indicating a slight decrease in the gross domestic product during the first quarter, Trump attributed it to “Biden” and suggested a similar response might be forthcoming in July, implying that the next quarter could also be attributed to Biden.
Polls indicate that the public tends to attribute any future economic difficulties to Trump’s trade war. A poll from late April revealed that 70% of Americans anticipate Trump’s new tariffs will be more costly than beneficial to the U.S. in the short term, and 89% of American adults believe the tariffs will likely lead to increased prices.
Recently, Biden has been increasingly visible. In mid-April, he delivered a speech criticizing Trump’s hasty firings and budget cuts within the federal government, asserting that Trump’s administration is “shooting first and aiming later.” He characterized Trump’s initial months in office as marked by “damage” and “destruction” to programs assisting veterans and seniors. On Thursday, Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden are scheduled to appear on ABC’s The View.
Biden’s return to the public eye coincides with the upcoming release of several books examining how his staff dealt with concerns about his mental sharpness during his time in office. CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios‘s Alex Thompson are set to release “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again” at the end of May. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal’s Josh Dawsey, The New York Times‘ Tyler Pager, and the Washington Post‘s Isaac Arnsdorf have collaborated on “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,” scheduled for release in early July.
