Biden criticizes Trump’s projects and alleged corruption at Maryland gala

President Joe Biden used his keynote address at a Democratic Party gala in Hanover, Maryland, to criticize former President Donald Trump, describing him as incompetent and corrupt. Biden referenced a series of construction initiatives associated with Trump, including the demolition of part of the White House’s East Wing for a ballroom, the removal of Trump’s name from the John Kennedy Center façade, a proposed triumphal arch, and a renovation of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool that faced technical problems.

He added that the reflecting-pool project, which involved a $1.7 million contract awarded without competitive bidding to a donor linked to Trump, exemplified “corruption on a scale never seen before in American history.” Biden also accused Trump of damaging U.S. standing abroad, citing the former president’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and alleged distortion of NATO.

“He’s diminished our standing in the world more than any president in history has,” Biden said.

The remarks came two years after a televised debate between the two men and were delivered as the Democratic Party seeks to gain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. In a prior statement, Biden emphasized the importance of active democratic participation, praising organizers who engage in door-to-door outreach and phone banking.

The speech also referenced ongoing legal and political matters, including efforts to compensate individuals convicted of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and a pardon issued to former President Trump’s son, Hunter Biden, for prior federal convictions.