In the run-up to the 2024 US presidential elections, President Joe Biden on Monday took a dig at his predecessor Donald Trump by saying that he and his 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) Republican team are "committed to destroy the nation".
Addressing a fundraiser at a Broadway theatre in his honour in the presence of big-name celebrities on Monday, Biden said that democracy is at stake, hate groups have been emboldened and school-going children are at risk of mass shootings due to Trump's presidency.
"Let there be no question, Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy American democracy. And I will always defend, protect and fight for our democracy," said Biden, while also accusing Trump and his allies of compromising with 'authoritarian' leaders like Russia's Vladimir Putin.
The 80-year-old President also asserted that he wants to send a strong message that political violence within America was never acceptable. His remarks are said to be the strongest rebuke of his presidential rival Trump, who is facing four criminal indictments including charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
The event - titled 'Broadway for Biden' was attended by celebrities including Sara Bareilles, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Platt. Biden has a hectic fundraising schedule since announcing his reelection campaign for the upcoming polls in 2024. He will address the high-level 78th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
Criminal charges against Donald Trump
Donald Trump is facing 91 criminal charges in four cases in the federal and state courts for his alleged efforts to overturn the election, the mishandling of classified documents, and charges related to allegations of hush-money paid to cover up extramarital affairs.
On January 6, 2021, thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in Washington in an apparent bid to overturn the election results. This incident occured after repeated unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud by Trump. Five people died during the violent Capitol riots.
His former trade adviser Peter Navarro was recently convicted y for contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with a US House of Representatives committee that was investigating the violent riots on the Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
His campaign team has denied all allegations levied against the former President, slamming the Biden administration for misusing the authority and claiming that Trump is still the most prominent frontrunner for next year's presidential elections.
(with AP inputs)
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