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Former President Donald Trump is saying what a lot of people are thinking: President Biden might not make it to Election Day as the Democratic presidential nominee.
Speaking at a Fox News town hall-style event moderated by Sean Hannity in Davenport, Iowa, the 77-year-old Trump questioned the 81-year Mr. Biden’s health, saying he “can’t put two sentences together” and “doesn’t know he is alive.”
“I personally don’t think he makes it. I haven’t said that. I have been saving that for this town hall,” Mr. Trump said. “I think he is in bad shape physically.”
Mr. Biden’s verbal gaffes, mental lapses and false claims have intensified questions about the Democrat’s age and health heading into his reelection race and likely rematch with Mr. Trump.
Voters are worried that Mr. Biden lacks the cognitive abilities to do the job for another four years, according to polls that show the public is less than thrilled with having to pick between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump.
Mr. Biden told donors this week that Mr. Trump poses such a threat to democracy that he has no choice but to run again.
“If Trump wasn’t running, I’m not sure I’d be running,” Mr. Biden said at a fundraising event outside Boston. “We cannot let him win.”
Mr. Biden, however, later dismissed the idea he would drop out of the race if Mr. Trump pulled the plug on his bid.
“No, not now,” Mr. Biden said. “Look, he is running, and I have to run.”
Mr. Trump, at the town hall event in Iowa, shrugged off the Biden statement, saying, “Somebody gave him a talking point they thought would sound good.”
The former president said Gov. Gavin Newsom of California could step in to replace Mr. Biden as the Democratic nominee before the election, calling him “slick” but someone who struggles with facts.
Mr. Trump said Vice President Kamala Harris, however, would be the odds-on favorite because Democrats are worried about alienating Black voters.
Mr. Trump has been happy to raise questions about Mr. Biden’s mental fitness, and, in an attempt to draw a contrast with the president, released a letter from his physician last month saying he was in “excellent” health.
Asked about Democrats’ warning that his second term would move the country toward a dictatorship, Mr. Trump said he would only be a dictator for a day, long enough to take executive actions aimed at strengthening border security and increasing domestic energy production.
“After that, I am not a dictator,” he said.
Mr. Trump’s GOP presidential rivals are holding out hope they can still stop him from winning the party’s nod.
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey had another opportunity to make their case Wednesday at the fourth presidential debate in Alabama.
The foursome met the donor and polling criteria set by the Republican National Committee to win an invite.
Mr. Trump skipped the showdown, marking the fourth straight time he has refused to give his rivals a chance to face off with him on the same stage.
Mr. Trump instead was set to headline a campaign fundraiser. He also continued to share polls on social media showing him with massive leads in the GOP nomination race and also leading Mr. Biden in battleground states.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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