Newsweek
Donald Trump Jr. has hit out at Joe Biden after the former vice president appeared to refer to Trump voters as the "dregs of society" during a fiery speech delivered at the annual dinner of the country's largest LGBT charity.
Speaking to guests at the Human Rights Campaign dinner on Saturday night, Biden accused President Donald Trump of using the White House as a "literal bully pulpit" and of being an ally to "forces of intolerance."
"Forces of intolerance remain determined to undermine and roll back the progress you have made," the former vice president warned his audience.
"This time they–not you–have an ally in the White House," he said.
"They're a small percentage of the American people, virulent people. Some of them, the dregs of society," Biden said.
"And instead of using the full might of the executive branch to secure justice, dignity, and safety for all, the president uses the White House as a literal, literal bully pulpit, callously exerting his power over those who have little or none," the former vice president said.
Trump Jr. was quick to condemn Biden over his comments, writing on Twitter: "We're all used to Creepy Joe saying stupid stuff, but this is too far even for him."
During his speech, Biden addressed his decision to speak out against the Trump administration, noting that he and former President Barack Obama had previously agreed to "remain silent" to give the government a chance to "get up and running."
"God forgive me," the former vice president said, appearing to lament the decision.
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Biden said it was the events of August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, which saw 32-year-old Heather Heyer killed while counter-protesting against a "Unite the Right" rally led by white supremacists, that forced him to break his silence.
"We have leaders who at the time when that occurred, when these guys were accompanied by white supremacists and Ku Klux Klan ... making a comparison saying there are good people in both groups," the former vice president said, referring to Trump's comments in the wake of the tragedy, claiming that there were "fine people on both sides" of the protests.
"What has become of us? Our children are listening. Our silence is complicity," Biden said.
Both Biden and Obama have denounced Trump's comments over the deadly Charlottesville incident, with the former vice president warning in a speech in October 2017 that the U.S. was heading down a "very dark path."
Obama broke his silence earlier this month while campaigning for congressional Democrats, asking how "hard" it could be for the president to say "Nazis are bad."
