As President Joe Biden prepares to leave office following his defeat by President-elect Donald Trump, his recent exit interview with USA Today has drawn sharp criticism from Trump’s transition team.
Trump’s team issued a detailed rebuttal, labeling the interview “delusional” and accusing Biden of misrepresenting his record on foreign policy, the economy, and immigration.
The statement addressed several claims made by Biden during the interview, highlighting discrepancies between the president’s statements and what they called the factual record.
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Biden claimed credit for re-establishing the Quad alliance between the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia, saying, “That’s why I worked so damn hard to get Japan and the Quad worked out.” The Trump team countered that the Quad was re-established in 2017 under Trump’s leadership, not Biden’s.
On inflation and interest rates, Biden stated inflation was 9% when he entered office and has since dropped to 2.34%. Trump’s team corrected this claim, pointing out that inflation was 1.4% in January 2021 and rose significantly during Biden’s term, peaking above 9% in 2022.
Biden asserted he had reduced direct conflicts with major adversaries, saying, “I diminished the direct conflict with major adversaries.” The Trump team strongly disputed this, blaming Biden’s foreign policy for escalating global instability. They cited examples including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and numerous U.S. embassy evacuations.
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Addressing job creation, Biden said his administration created 16 million jobs. The Trump team responded that most of these jobs were pandemic recovery positions, with adjusted figures showing only about 6.1 million new jobs created under Biden’s tenure.
Biden also claimed to have been aware of inflation’s impact on Americans, stating, “I knew how much inflation was affecting their lives.” The Trump team highlighted that Biden initially dismissed inflation as “transitory” and pointed to economists blaming his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan as a key driver of inflation.
When asked if he could have won the 2024 election, Biden confidently replied, “I think yes, based on the polling.” Trump’s team countered that polling indicated Biden was on track for a significant defeat.
Biden criticized Trump’s tax cuts and tariffs, suggesting they would harm consumers. Trump’s team defended these policies, stating that failing to extend Trump’s tax cuts would result in higher taxes for 207 million Americans, while tariffs had successfully protected U.S. workers.
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On economic performance, Biden claimed wages were up, but the Trump team pointed out that real average weekly earnings have declined by 3% since Biden took office.
Biden downplayed concerns about the border crisis, saying, “Yet the president comes along…and says, ‘It’s clear. It’s an invasion from the South.'” Trump’s team highlighted record numbers of illegal border crossings and growing national security concerns as evidence of Biden’s failed border policies.
Biden also defended his work ethic, claiming, “I work like hell.” Trump’s team challenged this, noting that Biden spent nearly 40% of his presidency on vacation, more than any modern president.
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As Biden exits office, Trump’s team emphasized their commitment to reversing what they see as the failures of the Biden administration. “President Trump is prepared to restore dignity and accountability to the Oval Office, secure the border, stabilize the economy, and strengthen America’s global standing,” the campaign stated.
The contrasting narratives between Biden’s self-assessment and the Trump’s team critique are shaping the political dialogue as Trump prepares to take office later this month.
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