US President Joe Biden sparked a reaction among New Hampshire Democrats during a campaign event when he declared, “we gotta lock him up,” in reference to former President Donald Trump.
Biden's remarks came as he described Trump’s plans for a potential second term, saying, “I know this sounds bizarre – it sounds like if I said this five years ago, you’d lock me up. We gotta lock him up.” After a brief pause to let the audience react, he quickly clarified, “politically, lock him up — lock him out, that’s what we’ve got to do.”
At a subsequent press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed questions about Biden's comments. She emphasized that the President was referring to the necessity of defeating Trump in the upcoming election. “He made very clear yesterday that he was referring to defeating Donald Trump. That is what he was talking about,” she stated.
Jean-Pierre also reflected on the significance of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, which she labeled a "dark and dangerous day for American democracy." She defended Biden's position on veterans, affirming that they are heroes, not “losers or suckers.” Also, she condemned Trump’s comments regarding Hitler, calling such sentiments “dangerous and disgusting.”
The press secretary confirmed that Biden agrees with former Trump White House chief of staff John Kelly’s assertion that Trump fits the definition of a fascist. "Do we agree about that determination? Yes, we do," Jean-Pierre affirmed.
This statement followed media reports about Trump’s admiration for Hitler’s generals, with Trump allegedly saying, “I need the kind of generals that Hitler had.” Jean-Pierre reiterated that the notion of Trump as a potential dictator has been echoed by former officials who once worked in his administration.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris has been vocal in shutting down “lock him up” chants during rallies, urging supporters to let the courts handle legal matters and focus on defeating Trump in the upcoming election. “We’re going to beat him in November,” she has insisted.
As the 2024 election approaches, Biden stressed the importance of Democratic unity, warning that a Trump victory could drastically change the nation. “If Trump wins, this nation changes,” he cautioned. “There’s only two things we can do: guarantee that he doesn’t, or if he does, make sure we have the strongest Democratic majority we can get.”
With the stakes high, Biden's rally in New Hampshire underscores the urgency for Democrats to mobilize their base as they gear up for a contentious election cycle.
