Joe Biden has warned that his successor, Donald Trump, will attempt to “steal” the upcoming US midterm elections, delivering the accusation in a rare public address on Friday.
Speaking in South Carolina, where he was honoured for a lifetime of public service, the former president said the United States was facing “dark days”. His remarks came just hours before the Trump administration launched military strikes on Iran.
Addressing an audience at the Columbia Museum of Art, Biden revived a line from his successful 2020 campaign, saying the “battle for the soul of this nation is one that’s never really over”. He criticised Trump’s plans to introduce stricter voting requirements ahead of the midterms, warning that they could disenfranchise voters.
“In America, the power still belongs to the people for now,” Biden said. “And the way to show that power is to vote, show up and vote. When we do that, that’s bad news for Donald Trump, and he knows it.”
He accused the president of deliberately erecting barriers to voting. “He’s trying to steal the election because he knows he can’t win your vote,” Biden said. “So he’s going to do everything he can to prevent you from wanting to vote.”
Biden, 83, has largely remained out of the public spotlight since leaving office and undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of prostate cancer. He did not address his health during the speech.
He also criticised Trump’s recent State of the Union address and the administration’s immigration crackdown, during which federal agents killed two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis in January.
“He doesn’t mention Renee Good, Alex Pretti, or offer even a word of solace to their families,” Biden said.
The former president added that Trump failed to acknowledge victims linked to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019. Trump was among several powerful figures known to have associated with Epstein.
Biden’s appearance comes amid historically low approval ratings for Trump. A February survey by the Associated Press-Norc Center for Public Affairs Research found that 61% of Americans disapproved of his performance. A more recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll reported that most US adults believe the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race after a widely criticised debate performance and endorsed his vice-president, Kamala Harris, as his replacement. Trump went on to defeat Harris in the general election, securing a return to the White House.
