President Joe Biden held his first major campaign event of 2024 on Friday, the eve of the third anniversary of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The president held the event near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania — famed as the headquarters of General George Washington’s Continental Army during the American Revolution. Biden used Washington — who famously willingly gave up power — as a contrast to former President Donald Trump, who attempted to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election.
The president argued in his speech that democracy remains under threat and fundamental freedoms at risk if Trump is allowed to return to the White House.
In his remarks, Biden said that “Trump and his MAGA supporters not only embrace political violence, but they laugh about it.”
Biden appeared to restrain himself while talking about how his predecessor jokes at rallies about the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
“What a sick,” Biden began to say before pausing and raising his hands, as if holding himself back from completing the thought. The audience reacted with laughter and applause.
