Donald Trump Attacks Michelle Obama After Joe Biden’s Disastrous Debate

Former President Donald Trump took a shot at former First Lady Michelle Obama during a campaign event in Virginia Friday.

Speaking with supporters a day after he faced President Joe Biden in the first debate of the 2024 election, Trump addressed concerns from some members of the Democratic Party over how the president will fair in November given Thursday’s performance.

“Many people are saying that after last night’s performance, that Joe Biden is leaving the race,” Trump told supporters. “But the fact is, I don’t really believe that, because he does better in polls than any of the Democrats are talking about.”

Trump went on to say that polling was conducted to see how several Democrats would fair against him in a hypothetical matchup, including leaders like the former first lady.

“They polled everybody,” the former president said. “They polled Michelle Obama, she polls very badly. No, she polls terribly.”

“It’s hard to believe, but Crooked Joe Biden polls better than those people,” he added.

The Context

Thursday’s night debate sparked reported “panic” from some Democrats after Biden appeared to struggle through several moments with a raspy voice and delayed responses. An aide for the 81-year-old president told Newsweek that he was battling a cold during the event.

The president’s performance reignited concerns over his age and mental health, and some progressive members of his party called for Democrats to choose a different nominee before November. Political analysts told Newsweek that Biden may have won the debate “on points” but that his demeanor likely hurt his reelection chances.

Several names have floated as a possible replacement for Biden, including the former first lady, although Obama’s office has said that she has no intention to run for office. Polling has shown that when in a hypothetical matchup with Trump, Obama trails the former president by roughly seven percentage points.

“As former first lady, Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president,” Obama’s office said in a statement with NBC News in March. “Mrs. Obama supports President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris‘ reelection campaign.”

A spokesperson for Obama previously told Newsweek that her statement in March is still accurate.

What We Know

Trump also called out California Governor Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris during his rally Friday, both of whom have been named potential replacements for Biden.

The former president claimed that Newsom “can’t run California” and is “one of the worst governors.” Newsom is an avid supporter of Biden and told MSNBC late Thursday evening that he found it “unhelpful” and “unnecessary” for people to talk about finding a new Democratic nominee.

Polling conducted by Rasmussen Reports in March found that Trump would lead Newsom by 17 points if the governor were the Democratic pick in November. Calls for Newsom to replace Biden, however, have grown since the early spring.

Trump also joked that he would be “very happy” if Democrats picked Harris as their nominee. Polling, while rather limited, has shown that the vice president has a low chance of beating the former president in a hypothetical matchup.

Newsweek has sent an email to Biden and Harris’ campaign Friday regarding Trump’s rally comments.

Views

Biden also appeared before supporters at a rally in North Carolina on Friday and addressed concerns over his debate performance.

“I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious,” Biden said on stage in Raleigh, according to a report from Reuters.

“I don’t walk as easy as I used to, I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to,” he added. “I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul that I could do this job. The stakes are too high.”

Former President Barack Obama also showed support for his former running mate on Friday, writing on social media, “Bad debate nights happen.”

“But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself…Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November,” the former president wrote to X, formerly Twitter, along with a link to Biden’s campaign website.

Trump, who recently turned 78, has also faced questions about his age and mental capacity to serve another four years. His performance on Thursday was rather typical for the former president, with his answers being filled with attacks for his political opponents rather than answering the moderators’ questions head-on.

Trump also repeatedly several falsehoods that he has used throughout his campaign, including claiming that Democrats support late-term abortions even after birth and that Biden is “paid by China.” House Republicans have long investigated claims that the president accepted bribes from foreign nationals during his time as vice president. There has been no evidence to substantiate such accusations.

What’s Next?

The Democratic National Committee will gather in Chicago on August 19 to select its official nominee for November. The GOP’s convention is scheduled to take place in Milwaukee on July 15, four days after Trump will face sentencing for his hush money conviction in Manhattan.

Update 06/28/24, 5:42 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.