Former President Trump took a victory lap Saturday after this week’s debate, but argued President Biden’s poor showing overshaded his own “fantastic” performance.
“As I walked off the stage on Thursday night, at the end of the highly anticipated ‘Debate,’ anchors, political reports and all screamed that I had had the greatest debate performance in the long and stories history of Presidential Debates,” Trump posted to his Truth Social site. “The all said, effectively, ‘Trump was fantastic!’”
“But by Friday evening it was all about the poor performance of Crooked Joe and now so much about how well I did,” he continued. “Oh well, that’s the way it is but, importantly the result is the same!!!”
His comments come after the former president hit Biden with heavy criticism during a Friday rally in Virginia, calling the incumbent a “stupid, stupid, stupid man.” The presumptive GOP nominee said the president secured the network and debate rules he wanted, but “no amount of rest or rigging” was able to help him on stage.
Trump, who has been a critic of CNN for much of his time in politics, added that the network’s moderators, anchors Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, treated him “very fairly” during the debate.
Much of the conversation around the debate centers on widespread panic felt by Democrats about Biden’s shaky performance — which included blank stares, stumbling over words and a lack of energy — and whether it influences his ability to beat Trump in November.
While some have defended the president, calls from both parties for the president to step aside have spread. The White House and Biden’s campaigns, however, have pushed back on the requests.
Trump’s performance has also been criticized. His former communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, said he lied “every 100 seconds” in the debate but it’s normal because that’s Trump’s brand.
Bash and Tapper have also come under fire after they refused to in real time fact check both Trump and Biden’s false statements.