President Joe Biden pokes fun at his predecessor, Donald Trump, during the annual dinner for Washington’s political and media elites, held by the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA). The event, held on Saturday night, provided a platform for Biden, 81, to continue his criticism of Trump, 77, with cutting humor.
During his roughly 10-minute speech, Biden quipped, “I am a grown man running against a six-year-old,” poking fun at Trump’s age and referring to him as “Sleepy Don.” Biden’s remarks were met with laughter from the audience of nearly 3,000 journalists, celebrities, and politicians in attendance.
The president Biden also took a dig at Trump’s recent legal troubles, making an oblique reference to Stormy Daniels, a porn actress involved in a hush-money payment scandal during Trump’s 2016 campaign. Biden joked, “Donald has had a few tough days lately. You might call it ‘stormy’ weather.”
While Biden’s speech was laced with humor targeting Trump, he also addressed more serious matters. He criticized Trump’s attacks on democracy and his divisive rhetoric, stating, “The defeated former president has made no secret of his attack on our democracy… When in God’s name have you ever heard another president say something like that?”
Biden urged the audience to “move past the horse race numbers” of the upcoming 2024 election and focus on the critical issues facing the nation. He highlighted the importance of addressing threats to democracy and moving forward from the events of January 6.
The evening also featured comedian Colin Jost, who provided comic relief with a roast of political figures in attendance.
Outside the Washington Hilton event space, demonstrators protested media coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the administration’s handling of the situation. They accused attendees of cosigning the president’s approach and called for greater awareness of the violence in Gaza, where numerous journalists have been killed since Hamas’ October 7 attacks.
Biden notably did not directly address the protests or the conflict in his speech, which took place amid ongoing tensions and global unrest.