Biden quips Trump is facing ‘Stormy weather’ at White House Correspondents’ dinner
President Joe Biden leaned into the spirit of the annual White House Correspondents’ dinner on Saturday night by throwing some jabs toward his opponent and the likely Republican nominee, Donald Trump.
While delivering his remarks to members of the White House Correspondents Association, politicians and current members of the Biden Administration, the president alluded to Mr Trump’s ongoing criminal trial in Manhattan.
“I’ve had a great stretch since the State of the Union, but Donald has had a few tough days lately. You might call it Stormy weather,” Mr Biden cracked.
The joke, a reference to Stormy Daniels the adult film star at the center of the case, was met with laughter and a sea of “oohs”.
Mr Biden continued, “Trump’s so desperate he started reading those Bibles he’s selling, then he got the First Commandment: You shall have no other Gods before me. That’s when he put it down and said ‘This book’s not for me.’”
The president also referred to Mr Trump as “Sleepy Don” because he fell asleep in Manhattan Criminal Court and called him “a six-year-old.”
President Biden on Donald Trump: "I'm a grown man running against a six-year-old..." He continues, "age is the only thing we have in common. My vice president actually endorses me."#WHCA #WHCD #nerdprom pic.twitter.com/VnFStCWZkH
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 28, 2024
Mr Biden was not the only person to use the former president’s criminal trial to poke fun at him, the host of the evening, SNL cast member Colin Jost, also brought it up.
"Can we just acknowledge how refreshing it is to see a President of the United States at an event that doesn’t begin with a bailiff saying, ‘All rise?’" Mr Jost joked.
The comedian also noted that despite Mr Trump calling Mr Biden “Sleepy Joe”, it is Mr Trump who “spent the past week falling asleep in court every morning.”
Colin Jost: "It's after 10pm. 'Sleepy Joe' is still awake while Donald Trump has spent the past week falling asleep in court every morning – though Fox News said he was just being anti-woke." pic.twitter.com/Q4jchjz8k3
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 28, 2024
At the annual dinner, hosts and speakers are expected to poke fun at themselves and others in the political sphere while also acknowledging the work of journalists who cover the White House year-round.
During Mr Trump’s time in office, he refused to go and barred administration staff from attending. The former president famously does not take criticism well.
In the same vein, Mr Trump responded to the jokes about him and his trial by saying, “The White House Correspondents’ Dinner was really bad.”
“Colin Jost BOMBED, and Crooked Joe was an absolute disaster! Doesn’t get much worse than this!” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.
