Biden Mocks Trump’s Hush Money Trial at White House Correspondent’s Dinner: ‘Stormy Weather’

At a meeting of Washington's political and media elites, President Joe Biden made a series of scathing jokes about his electoral adversary, former President Donald Trump, showing no restraint. Biden had the perfect opportunity to carry on his recent streak of taking Trump on with more strong rhetoric, cutting humor, and personal jabs at the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner.

Biden's mockery of Trump addressed the latter's hush money criminal trial in New York, where Trump is charged with manipulating company documents to conceal money payments made to his ex-fixer Michael Cohen, to hide his illicit affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels. According to The Guardian, Biden quipped, “Donald has had a few tough days lately. You might call it Stormy weather.” The president went on to troll the ex-president on many popular tropes. For instance, on the $60 Bibles the Trump campaign is selling, Biden remarked, “Trump’s so desperate he started reading those Bibles he’s selling. Then he got to 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.’”

Biden, clad in a tuxedo and black tie, began his address by referring to Trump as 'sleepy Don', a play on a moniker the former president had previously given him, and a play on the business mogul sleeping in the courtroom. “The 2024 election is in full swing and yes, age is an issue,” noted Biden, 81, turning the age debate against Trump. “I’m a grown man running against a six-year-old.” Subsequently, Biden touched on Trump's rift with Mike Pence, Trump's former vice president, who had stood up to him regarding the outcome of the 2020 election. “Age is the only thing we have in common. My vice-president actually endorses me,” Biden mocked as Vice President Kamala Harris sat in the audience, laughing.

Although Biden directed several jabs at his opponent, Trump, he focused a significant portion of his speech on the grave danger to democracy and emphasized the need for the press in a free society, as per Deadline. “The stakes couldn’t be higher. Every single one of us has a role to play, a serious role to play, in making sure democracy endures,” Biden said. “In an age of disinformation, credible information people can trust is more important than ever. That makes you, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart, that makes you more important than ever.”

Underscoring the importance of the upcoming November election, Biden pleaded with the press, “I’m sincerely not asking you to take sides.” He added, “I’m asking you to rise up to the seriousness of the moment. Move past the horse-race numbers and the gotcha moments, and the distractions, the sideshows that have come to dominate and sensationalize our politics and focus on what’s actually at stake.”