Trump vs Biden debate: Five key attack lines we can expect from tonight’s historic showdown

Ben Chapman

By Ben Chapman


Published: 28/06/2024

- 00:23

The two foes are expected to get personal with their attacks

Joe Biden and Donald Trump are set to face off in the first ever debate between a sitting president and a former president.

The two foes are expected to get personal with their attacks with both not being on the best terms, evidenced by Trump shunning Biden’s inauguration after failing to concede defeat after the 2020 election.


GBN America takes you through some of the key points of attack that we might see both candidates deploying.

Joe Biden and Jill Biden

Joe Biden's age is likely to be raised

White House
  • BIDEN'S AGE

The 81-year-old is the oldest ever sitting president in US history, and this is not a cause for celebration for many US voters.

A lot feel Biden no longer has the vigour to carry out the role to the best of his abilities, and Trump will likely latch onto this by citing some of his gaffes that we have seen in recent years.

Biden is likely to hit back by arguing Trump is not so young himself, being a 78-year-old.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

He will also argue that age is not everything when it comes to carrying out the Commander-in-Chief role and his record on the economy speaks for itself.

‘Bidenomics’ has been heralded as a success by the Biden administration.

Trump

Trump's legal battles will be raised

Getty
  • TRUMP’S LEGAL WOES

Donald Trump is now a convicted criminal after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

The conviction stemmed from a $130,000 ‘hush money’ payment made by his attorney Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the days leading up to the 2016 election.

Trump has always maintained his innocence, and believes the charges are part of a political plot to oust him.

But Biden will not view the matter this way and is likely to use it as a key proponent of his attacks on the former president.

  • MIGRANT CRISIS

The southern border will form a huge part of Trump’s offering for tonight’s 90-minute clash, with the 78-year-old an outspoken critic of Biden on the matter.

He has already given us a flavour of what attack line he will use - accusing his political foe of migrant “killings”.

Trump said last week on his Truth Social feed that Biden is responsible for a handful of horrific murders, allegedly by undocumented migrants.

“We have a new Biden Migrant Killing - it’s only going to get worse, and it’s all Crooked Joe Biden’s fault”, he posted in reference to the death of a 12-year-old Texas girl.

Trump and Putin

Trump has previously praised Putin

Getty
  • FOREIGN WARS

Under Biden’s stewardship, wars have broken out in Ukraine and Gaza, both of which Trump feels would not have happened had he been in power.

The Republican is likely to cite his positive relations with foreign leaders such as Vladimir Putin, whom Biden has branded a “thug”.

But the incumbent president is likely to remain steadfast in his belief that the US cannot be cooperating with dictators such as Kim Jong-Un, and will insist the US’s standing in the world is becoming increasingly powerful under his stewardship.

Trump is also likely to cite Biden’s decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan in a move that eventually led to the Taliban returning to power.

Biden

Biden will defend his record on the economy

PA
  • THE ECONOMY

Biden will insist his ‘Bidenomics’ policy is reaping the benefits, but Trump will undoubtedly take a different view.

Voters generally rank the economy and inflation as two of the most important issues and they already have an idea of how the outsider would preside.

According to a recent poll by ABC News/IPSOS, more voters trust Trump on the economy in what could be a blow for Biden.

The 81-year-old is reportedly being urged to adopt a populist message, highlighting an attack on corporate greed and his record of being pro-union.

You may like