Former President Trump and President Biden both accused each other of lying during the first general election presidential debate of 2024 Thursday.
The exchange came after Biden accused Trump of wanting to cut benefits that Americans receive from Social Security and Medicare, which Trump has denied.
“I’ve dealt with politicians all my life. I’ve been on this side of the equation for the last eight years. I’ve never seen anybody lie like this guy,” Trump said, adding that “everything he does is a lie.”
The presumptive Republican nominee argued that Biden’s mention earlier in the debate of a report that Trump called deceased veterans who died in battle “losers” and “suckers” was untrue. Trump has previously denied saying that, though his former chief of staff John Kelly has said Trump did make those comments.
“The losers and suckers story that he made up is a total lie. … it’s a disgrace,” Trump said Thursday, also accusing Biden of “destroying” Social Security.
Biden reemphasized the report about Trump’s comments and argued that Kelly was fired because he confirmed that Trump said it.
“That general got fired because he acknowledged that that’s what he said. He was the one standing with Trump when he said it,” Biden said.
Trump notably made a wide range of false statements throughout his presidency, with The Washington Post reporting that Trump made more than 30,000 false or misleading statements during his four years in office.