President Biden on Tuesday suggested he would attend former President Donald Trump’s inauguration if he wins the presidential election in November, criticizing his predecessor’s behavior.
Asked if he would attend the inauguration in January 2025, Biden said: “I’m polite, but I’m not like him.”
After losing the 2020 presidential election to Biden, Trump did not attend the inauguration in January 2021. Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race last month and has since endorsed Vice President Harris, the Democratic nominee.
The president was also pressed about his calls for a tone down in the wake of last month’s assassination attempt on Trump. Asked whether calling Trump a danger to U.S. security meant tone down the rhetoric, he replied, “That’s just a statement. That’s a statement based on facts.”
After the shooting, Biden, who was still running for president at the time, called for de-escalating tensions in American politics in a prime-time speech.
Biden is scheduled to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday, kicking off the event.
Since rising to the top of the list of candidates, Harris has gained momentum in national and battleground state polls, outperforming Trump in an average of polls compiled by The Hill/Decision Desk.
