By Steve Peoples and Will Weissert
Joe Biden on Tuesday blistered President Donald Trump a day after police drove back peaceful protesters near the White House so Trump could pose with a Bible before a damaged church. Biden said Trump's “narcissism has become more important than the nation that he leads.”
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee delivered a speech at Philadelphia's City Hall, addressing the civil unrest across America following the death of George Floyd. Biden said "the moment has come” to deal with systemic racism and deeply ingrained economic inequality — and insisted that the nation can't wait until November's election and its outcome.
“I call on the Congress to act this month," Biden said, urging lawmakers to start “with real police reform" and citing proposed legislation outlawing chokeholds.
But Biden stepped up his criticism of Trump as he works to elevate his voice in the national debate — after more than two months of the campaign for the White House being frozen amid the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“This president today is part of the problem and accelerates it,” Biden said, adding that Trump is “consumed with his blinding ego."
Biden’s criticism comes a day after Trump threatened the nation’s governors that he would deploy the military to states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled the nation.
Authorities under federal command later forced back peaceful demonstrators in Washington with tear gas so the president could walk to nearby church St. John’s Church and pose briefly with a Bible. The church had sustained damage during Sunday protests.
Biden noted that “peaceful protesters” were dispersed from the “doorstep of the people’s house, the White House” using tear gas and flash grenades to stage what he called a “photo op” publicity stunt.
“The president held up a Bible,” Biden added. “I just wished he opened it once in a while instead of brandishing it.”
The 20-plus minute address was covered live by cable networks and Biden used it to declare, "This job’s not about me. It’s about you. It’s about us.”
“Look, the presidency is a big job. Nobody will get everything right. And I won’t either,” Biden said, but promised, "I won’t fan the flames of hate.”
As the former vice president spoke, the National Guard maintained a visible presence to defend public buildings as Philadelphia grapples with sustained violent protests. Several adjacent businesses — banks, convenience stores, and hotels were boarded up. A very small audience, including Mayor Jim Kenney, was on hand.
Biden is trying to create a stark contrast with Trump, who has embraced the language of confrontation and war, casting himself as the “president of law and order.” Trump signaled he would stake his reelection on convincing voters his forceful approach was warranted in a time of national tumult and racial unrest.
“I will seek to heal the racial wounds that have long plagued this country – not use them for political gain,” Biden said.
A new report finds the Department of Government Efficiency’s remaking of the federal workforce has battered the Washington job market and put more households in the metropolitan area in financial distress.
A new poll finds U.S. adults are more likely than they were a year ago to think immigrants in the country legally benefit the economy. That comes as President Donald Trump's administration imposes new restrictions targeting legal pathways into the country. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey finds Americans are more likely than they were in March 2024 to say it’s a “major benefit” that people who come to the U.S. legally contribute to the economy and help American companies get the expertise of skilled workers. At the same time, perceptions of illegal immigration haven’t shifted meaningfully. Americans still see fewer benefits from people who come to the U.S. illegally.
Shares of Tylenol maker Kenvue are bouncing back sharply before the opening bell a day after President Donald Trump promoted unproven and in some cases discredited ties between Tylenol, vaccines and autism. Trump told pregnant women not to use the painkiller around a dozen times during the White House news conference Monday. The drugmaker tumbled 7.5%. Shares have regained most of those losses early Tuesday in premarket trading.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday signaled a cautious approach to future interest rate cuts, in sharp contrast with other Fed officials who have called for a more urgent approach. In remarks in Providence, Rhode Island, Powell noted that there are risks to both of the Fed’s goals of seeking maximum employment and stable prices. His approach is in sharp contrast to some members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee who are pushing for faster cuts.
President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape the American media landscape have led to the suspension of late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel.
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield is leaving the ice cream brand after 47 years. He says the freedom the company used to have to speak up on social issues has been stifled
The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point Wednesday and projected it would do so twice more this year as concern grows at the central bank about the health of the nation’s labor market. The move is the Fed’s first cut since December and lowered its short-term rate to about 4.1%, down from 4.3%. Fed officials, led by Chair Jerome Powell, had kept their rate unchanged this year as they evaluated the impact of tariffs, tighter immigration enforcement, and other Trump administration policies on inflation and the economy. The only dissenter was Stephen Miran, the recent Trump-appointee.
After a late-night vote and last-minute ruling, the Federal Reserve began a key meeting on interest rate policy Tuesday with both a new Trump administration appointee and an official the White House has targeted for removal.
The Trump administration has issued its first warnings to online services that offer unofficial versions of popular drugs like the blockbuster obesity treatment Wegovy.
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama says his new Cabinet will include an artificial intelligence “minister” in charge of fighting corruption. The AI, named Diella, will oversee public funding projects and combat corruption in public tenders. Diella was launched earlier this year as a virtual assistant on the government's public service platform. Corruption has been a persistent issue in Albania since 1990. Rama's Socialist Party won a fourth consecutive term in May. It aims to deliver EU membership for Albania in five years, but the opposition Democratic Party remains skeptical.
