'You're no better': Joe Biden accused of hypocrisy after attacking Donald Trump on 'Muslim travel ban'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden drew the ire of social media after reigniting the debate over former President Donald Trump's travel ban policies.

On Sunday, December 10, President Biden took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval, stating, "Eight years ago, candidate for president Donald Trump proposed his Muslim travel ban. Like millions of Americans, I was appalled. Shamefully, he’s now calling to 'restore and expand' his ban."

The President accompanied his post with a video comparing Trump's comments in 2016 with recent statements in 2023, just days after Biden had previously criticized Trump over the same policies on the eighth anniversary of the so-called “Muslim ban” proposed during the 2016 election.

What was Trump's 2016 'travel-ban' proposal?

Trump's controversial proposal, released in December 2015 during his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States." Biden condemned the ban, describing it as a "cynical ploy" designed to instill fear and distrust of Muslim Americans.

In a press release from his re-election campaign, Biden emphasized that the ban betrayed America's long history of welcoming people of all faiths and violated the constitutional principle of religious freedom.

Biden attacks Trump over 'Muslim travel ban'

“On this day eight years ago, candidate for President Donald Trump proposed his Muslim travel ban. Like millions of Americans, I was appalled. The proposal was a cynical ploy. It was about sowing fear and distrust of Muslim Americans and all Muslims — not about protecting our national security,” Biden said in the release last week.

“Let me be clear: Muslim Americans are Americans. Period. Fanning the flames of intolerance can lead to attacks on Muslims, Arabs, Sikhs, and others. It’s wrong,” Biden asserted.

“We celebrate the diversity that is our strength. We treat each other with dignity and respect. We reject Islamophobia, Antisemitism, and hate in all its forms. And in moments like these – when there is a heightened sense of fear and suspicion – we work even harder to hold on to the values that make us who we are. We never abandon them," the statement added.

Social media backlash

Despite his strong stance against the travel ban, Biden faced accusations of hypocrisy following his latest attack on Trump on social media.

"You're not better than him," one posted on X.

"This is so distasteful. You’re trying to emotionally blackmail Muslim voters whose families you’re actively engaged in massacring. Disgusting!" another fumed.

"As a Muslim, I will support Donald Trump. At least, he is not a hypocrite like you. Your role in Gaza's children slaughtering is appalling," someone else offered.

"I would take Trump back any day over the disaster your presidency has been," another declared.

Trump's vow and Biden's response

Biden's condemnation comes in the wake of Trump's September vow to reimpose and expand the travel ban if re-elected in 2024. The former president, currently leading the GOP field for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination, has consistently defended his travel ban policies, emphasizing their importance in national security.

During his first week in office in 2017, Trump signed an executive order limiting visas from predominantly Muslim countries. Biden rescinded the ban on his first day in office, fulfilling a promise made during the 2020 campaign, according to The Hill.

Reflecting on Trump's executive order, Biden stated, "When President Trump followed through on his proposal and signed an executive order banning citizens from primarily Muslim countries, it stained our national conscience. It was cruel. The order separated loved ones and inflicted needless pain."

“By jeopardizing our alliances and partnerships around the world, President Trump undermined America’s national security. Shamefully, he’s now calling for another travel ban,” he added.

It's worth noting that Trump is committed to enacting strict immigration policies, including the "largest domestic deportation operation in American history" and the use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to expel suspected drug cartel members if re-elected.

Trump's travel ban proposal had unlikely 'Obama connection'

Meanwhile, it is also crucial to highlight the connection to the Obama administration, as the travel ban targeted the same seven countries outlined in a law signed by Obama in December 2015.

The law restricted travel to the US for individuals who had lived in or visited Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.

While the Obama-signed law initially focused on four countries, it was later expanded by the Department of Homeland Security to include Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. These countries were identified as "countries of concern," aligning with the phrase used in the law, according to Politifact.