White House stands by Biden calling the GOP a ‘semi-fascism’ party

The White House on Friday doubled down on President Biden denouncing the Republican Party platform as “semi-fascism.”

When pressed on Mr. Biden’s comment, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the extreme characterization of his political foes was not hyperbole.

“When you look at the definition of fascism and you think about what [Republicans] are doing in attacking our democracy, what they’re doing in taking away our freedoms, wanting to take away our rights, that is what that is,” she said. “It is very clear.”

In a speech at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser on Thursday, Mr. Biden blasted Republican lawmakers and former President Donald Trump as “the ultra-MAGA party” and called their political philosophy “semi-fascism,” a reference to the authoritarian and ultra-nationalistic political movement led by Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler beginning in the 1920s and 1930s.

“What we’re seeing now, is either the beginning or the death knell of an extreme MAGA philosophy. It’s not just Trump, it’s the entire philosophy that underpins the - I’m going to say something, it’s like semi-fascism.” Mr. Biden said.

“This is not your father’s Republican Party. This is a different deal,” he said.

The Rockville, Maryland fundraiser kicked off Democrats’ campaign season ahead of what is expected to be a challenging midterm election cycle for the party in November.

The Republican National Committee scolded Mr. Biden for the name-calling.

“Despicable. Biden forced Americans out of their jobs, transferred money from working families to Harvard lawyers, and sent our country into a recession while families can’t afford gas and groceries. Democrats don’t care about suffering Americans — they never did,” RNC spokesman Nathan Brand said.

Ms. Jean-Pierre did not indicate that Mr. Biden would refrain from the rhetoric in future speeches.

“What we are putting before the American people is a choice,” she said. “There’s a clear contrast was what is happening on that side of the island and what is happening on our side. We’re going to continue to fight for people’s rights and that is not that is something that he takes very seriously and that’s what you heard from him last night.”