“It’s not just his vanity projects… tearing down the East Wing of the White House, making room for his ballroom, putting his name on the Kennedy Center, building an arch in his own honour… What a loser.” Joe Biden
Former US President Joe Biden delivered one of his strongest attacks yet on President Donald Trump, using a Democratic Party fundraising event to accuse his successor of putting personal legacy ahead of the country’s priorities.
Speaking during a gala in Hanover, Maryland, on Saturday, Biden criticised several high-profile projects linked to Trump, arguing they reflected what he described as the president’s obsession with self-promotion rather than public service.
The sharpest moment came when Biden mocked Trump’s building plans in Washington.
“It’s not just his vanity projects, tearing down the East Wing of the White House making room for his ballroom, putting his name on the Kennedy Center, building an arch in his own honour, even hiring his own pool guy to fix the Reflecting Pool,” Biden told supporters.
He paused before adding:
“Woah! What a loser.”
The remarks were aimed at a series of projects Trump has defended since returning to office.
One of them is a $400 million plan to demolish part of the White House’s East Wing and replace it with a new ballroom. Trump has argued the expansion is necessary to host state dinners and improve security for visiting world leaders.
Biden also criticised Trump’s effort to attach his name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a move that was later blocked after a court ordered the name removed.
Another target was the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The Trump administration spent $14.7 million restoring and changing the appearance of the landmark. Soon after the work was completed, the pool developed algae problems and other maintenance issues. Trump and the National Park Service blamed vandalism for the setbacks.
Biden did not stop there.
He also criticised Trump’s handling of those involved in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, accusing the administration of trying to reward people connected to the riot.
“What makes me angry is that Trump wants to give taxpayers’ money, your money, to the January 6th insurrectionists,” Biden said.
His comments appeared to refer to the administration’s proposal to compensate some people who claimed they had been unfairly investigated after the Capitol attack. The plan was later dropped following legal challenges.
The White House has not publicly responded to Biden’s latest remarks.
Trump, however, has continued to attack Biden in recent weeks. Last month he described the former president as a “crooked politician” on Truth Social, while also reviving his long-used nickname, “Sleepy Joe,” in another post.
Biden’s speech also carried a sense of political reflection.
It came exactly two years after his widely criticised debate performance against Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. That debate prompted growing pressure from senior Democrats for Biden to withdraw from the race.
He eventually stepped aside, allowing then-Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee. Harris went on to lose the election to Trump.
Although Biden no longer holds office, his speech showed he is still willing to challenge Trump publicly as the political rivalry between the two men continues well beyond the 2024 election.
