White House defends Biden ‘semi-fascism’ charge against Trump Republicans
The White House affirmed President Joe Biden’s assessment that “extreme,” “Make America Great Again” Republicans are similar to fascists.
“They’re attacking democracy, right? They are taking away rights and freedoms. They are using threats of violence,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Friday. “He called it what it is.”
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Biden considers it to be his responsibility as president to be “the strongest voice for democracy,” according to Jean-Pierre.
Jean-Pierre described Biden’s remarks at a Maryland fundraiser and rally Thursday night as “pretty clear” and “very powerful.” But she did repeat the president’s distinction between conservatives, such as Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and GOP lawmakers who support former President Donald Trump.
“He was making that contrast to what congressional Democrats have been doing, which is fighting for our rights, fighting for freedom,” she said. “He was passionate about this. He was eloquent about this.”
During the fundraiser in Bethesda, Maryland, which raised $1 million for the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund, Biden told the 100 guests that “what we’re seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of an extreme MAGA philosophy.”
“It’s not just Trump, it’s the entire philosophy that underpins the — I’m going to say something, it’s like semi-fascism,” he said.
A couple of hours later, during the rally at Richmond Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland, Biden mocked Trump for being a “defeated” former president.
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“I respect conservative Republicans. I don’t respect these MAGA Republicans,” he told the crowd of more than 3,500 people.
