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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Joe Biden says European leader likened Trump to Mussolini | Joe Biden says European leader likened Trump to Mussolini |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Joe Biden has said 14 heads of state have contacted him in an attempt to better understand the actions of the Trump administration. One even compared the US president to Mussolini, he said. | Joe Biden has said 14 heads of state have contacted him in an attempt to better understand the actions of the Trump administration. One even compared the US president to Mussolini, he said. |
| Speaking at an event on Tuesday with Ohio’s governor, John Kasich, the former US vice-president bemoaned Trump’s “bizarre conduct” and claimed that one European prime minister went so far as to liken the president to “Il Duce”. | Speaking at an event on Tuesday with Ohio’s governor, John Kasich, the former US vice-president bemoaned Trump’s “bizarre conduct” and claimed that one European prime minister went so far as to liken the president to “Il Duce”. |
| Biden said the comment was made after Trump elbowed aside the president of Montenegro before a group photo at a Nato summit in Brussels in May. | Biden said the comment was made after Trump elbowed aside the president of Montenegro before a group photo at a Nato summit in Brussels in May. |
| The former vice-president graphically described the scene of his meeting with a European head of state. Biden said that the unnamed European leader described to him how Trump “took the president of Montenegro, shoved him aside, stuck his chest out and his chin, and all I could think of [was] ‘Il Duce’.” | |
| Biden reenacted the mock pose to some laughter from an audience composed mainly of college students. He then corrected the crowd and said: “Not a joke, not a joke. That’s what people are thinking.” | |
| Biden’s remarks – made at an event meant to promote and discuss bipartisan cooperation with Ohio governor John Kasich – violated the precedent that outgoing presidents and vice-presidents do not criticize incoming administrations. Biden talked about Trump in terms of fundamental concern about his effect on the world order. | |
| “This breaking down of international and national norms is the glue that holds the liberal world order together, is the glue that holds together our system” he said, noting growing concern among “foreign policy poobahs” about the possibility of nuclear war. | “This breaking down of international and national norms is the glue that holds the liberal world order together, is the glue that holds together our system” he said, noting growing concern among “foreign policy poobahs” about the possibility of nuclear war. |
| Biden said he had urged holdovers from the Obama administration still in government to “please stay”, in an attempt to provide stability. He also expressed his concern that top-level cabinet officials might leave the Trump administration. | Biden said he had urged holdovers from the Obama administration still in government to “please stay”, in an attempt to provide stability. He also expressed his concern that top-level cabinet officials might leave the Trump administration. |
| “I don’t want to see the chief of staff quit, I don’t want to see the secretary of state quit, I don’t want to see the secretary of defense quit,” he said. | |
| Biden also provided profound criticism of Trump’s ability to run the country. He noted that the Trump campaign “didn’t expect to win – they weren’t prepared to govern” and then said: “We have a president that doesn’t understand governance.” | Biden also provided profound criticism of Trump’s ability to run the country. He noted that the Trump campaign “didn’t expect to win – they weren’t prepared to govern” and then said: “We have a president that doesn’t understand governance.” |