Biden says Americans believe economy was 'hell of a lot better' under him than Trump

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: After being pushed out of his re-election bid by fellow Democrats in 2024, Joe Biden is back on stage to defend his record and blast his successor, Donald Trump.

The 83-year-old former president used his speech at the Maryland Democratic Party's Fight Back & Win summit near Baltimore to blast Trump for the “deliberate distraction destruction of NATO” and hammer his House ballroom as a “vanity project.”

He also aimed at the president’s handling of the economy, arguing the nation has slipped backwards under his administration.

Joe Biden claims economy under his administration was 'better'

The former president relied on a teleprompter during his Saturday night remarks at the Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, squinting at times as he read his verbal blasts at his rival.

During the speech, Biden ripped into Trump’s handling of the economy, which took a major hit due to the ongoing Iran war, which disrupted energy markets, pushing petrol prices higher and driving up inflation.

“Have you noticed that Americans are saying the economy under the Biden administration is a hell of a lot better than under Trump?” he told party faithful in the deep blue state.

A recent poll showed that Trump’s handling of the economy received its lowest approval rating yet, sitting 3 points lower than former President’s worst marks during his administration.

An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll released earlier this month found that just 33% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, below the 36% approval Biden received for his own economic stewardship in February 2022.

Joe Biden rips Donald Trump’s 'vanity projects'

At one point in the speech, Biden aimed at Trump’s new renovation projects as a “vanity project.”

“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,” the former president slammed.

Building an arch in his own honor. Even hiring his own pool guy to fix the reflecting pool. Woah – what a loser,” Biden said to applause.

He called it “simply stunning to me” that Trump made “billions of dollars” as he returned to the White House, saying “he has no shame.”

Biden also claimed that Trump’s ambitious $16 million project to renovate the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool reflects the “blatant corruption” under his administration.

"The reflecting pool reflects something even worse than the narcissism and incompetence at the core of this administration. It’s the corruption. The corruption,” Biden insisted.

“The brazen, blatant corruption. Corruption on a scale never seen before in American history in any administration. Trump has made billions of dollars since returning to the White House. Simply stunning to me,” he continued.

At his speech’s conclusion, Biden delivered a familiar refrain about the nation’s ability to overcome challenges, then sought an assist to find out which way to leave the stage.