Donald Trump and Joe Biden: Former US president tells Hannity he is ‘so upset’

Donald Trump says he is “so upset” with Joe Biden as he reveals his thoughts on whether the US President will drop out of the White House race.

Former US president Donald Trump says he is “so upset” with Joe Biden after their presidential debate, which he described as a “strange evening”.

Speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity by phone for his first interview since the disastrous face-off, Trump said the US was heading into a situation similar to “World War III” with Mr Biden in charge, describing him as the worst president in history.

He said he thought Mr Biden was unlikely to drop out of White House race due to his “ego” and the influence of his wife, First Lady Jill Biden.

Members of Mr Biden’s inner circle are “covering for him”, Trump claimed, with the US President’s son Hunter “calling the shots”.

Former US president Donald Trump has slammed Joe Biden. Picture: AFP

“They cover for him, and they still are sort of covering, but now it’s getting very difficult to do that. And you know, it looks to me like he may very well, and he doesn’t want to quit. He doesn’t want to do that.

“I think Jill [Biden] would like to see him stay she’s having a good time. I noticed she seems to be having a good time, and I’m hearing that Hunter is calling the shots.

“So this isn’t necessarily a very positive thing for our country, but I think he might very well stay in... you really have to speak to his doctors. But obviously he’s been sheltered by the fake news media.”

Donald Trump claims Hunter Biden is “calling the shots”. Picture: AFP

He said Kamala Harris would likely take over if Mr Biden stands aside.

“She didn’t do a good job, and she hasn’t done a job on a lot of things so but it would seem to me that from a political standpoint, that’s who they’re going with,” he said.

“They’re not even talking about alternatives. And it seems that if, if he gets out for whatever reason, and I don’t think he wants to get out, but if he gets out, it will be her.”

Trump described Mr Biden’s performance and appearance at their televised debate as “strange”.

Joe Biden walks off stage after his debate with Donald Trump. Picture: Getty Images

Donald Trump says Jill Biden is influencing her husband. Picture: Getty Images

“I walked out on stage and he looked extremely pale, to put it nicely, and I don’t know maybe it was a good makeup job, or maybe it wasn’t, but he was a very pale looking man.”

“And when he started to speak. I don’t know, I thought his voice was weak. I didn’t know exactly what was happening – it was strange.”

Trump continued: “It was a strange evening, it was a strange debate, because within a couple of minutes the answers given by him, they didn’t make a lot of sense.”

Trump would not reveal who would be installed as his running mate in the race to the White House, but said an announcement would be made soon and they were “very good”.

Insiders have told the New York Post that Trump’s final decision is between North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Senator JD Vance.

PARKINSON’S DOCTOR VISITED BIDEN’S WHITE HOUSE MULTIPLE TIMES

Mr Biden has dared Democrats who want him to quit the election race to challenge him for the party’s nomination, in a desperate bid to save his besieged leadership.

As Democratic members of Congress arrived in Washington DC for a week that could decide the 81-year-old’s fate, Mr Biden wrote to them to say of the widespread internal panic about his chances of defeating Donald Trump: “It’s time for it to end.”

“Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us,” Mr Biden said.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walk to the White House after attending campaign events in Pennsylvania. Picture: AFP

Moments later, however, the President dialled into a TV morning show to sarcastically criticise “the elites in the party who know so much more”.

“Any of these guys that don’t think I should run — run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention,” Mr Biden said.

Joe Biden and wife Jill step off of Marine One as they return to the White House. Picture: AFP

“I am not going anywhere. I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t absolutely believe that I am the best candidate to beat Trump in 2024.”

Mr Biden’s team also fought off questions about why an expert on Parkinson’s disease had visited the White House eight times in eight months, including at least once for a meeting with the President’s doctor Kevin O’Connor.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly refused to explain the purpose of those visits in a fiery briefing with reporters.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had a fiery exhange with reporters. Picture: AFP

While Dr O’Connor has not been publicly questioned about the President’s health, he said in his annual report in January that an “extremely detailed neurologic exam” showed no results that would be consistent with disorders including Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis.

He said he was a “healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male, who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency”.

Hours after Ms Jean-Pierre’s clash with reporters, the White House released a letter from Dr O’Connor that said Dr Kevin Cannard — the Parkinson’s expert — was the neurological specialist who examined Mr Biden for each of his annual physical checks.

He said the expert was chosen for his “very wide expertise” and that Mr Biden had not otherwise seen a neurologist outside of his annual exam, the most recent of which said he did not have Parkinson’s or any similar disorder.

Joe Biden during his disastrous debate against Donald Trump. Picture: AFP

Joe Biden campaigns in Pennsylvania in an attempt to salvage his re-election bid. Picture: AFP

Six Democratic members of Congress have publicly called for Mr Biden to drop out, with several more senior figures taking the same view in crisis talks held over the weekend. 

Wider meetings of House and Senate Democrats were due to be held on Tuesday (local time), with one member telling Axios: “The s*** is going to hit the fan ... People are scared about their own races. But they’re also worried about the country, and democracy.”

But on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, the oldest president in US history complained about the ongoing debate over his health and age since his disastrous debate performance against Trump.

“I’ve not had many of those nights. It was a terrible night and I really regret it happened,” Mr Biden said, before adding that he had been “testing himself” since then with a series of public appearances.

“It drives me nuts people talking about this.”

“I haven’t lost. I beat him last time. I’ll beat him this time.”

Democratic congressman Adam Smith was the latest to break ranks, saying: “I think it’s become clear that he’s not the best person to carry the Democratic message.”

Senator Mark Warner, who was trying to organise a push against the President among his colleagues, said it was “time for conversations about the strongest path forward.

“It is incumbent upon the president to more aggressively make his case to the American people,” he said.

Asked about the push by Democratic leaders and donors for him to step down as the party’s nominee, Mr Biden said: “They’re big names, but I don’t care what those big names think.”

In his letter, he also said he was “not blind” to the “good faith fears and worries about what is at stake in this election”, having argued that democracy was at risk if Trump won in November.

Mr Biden had further infuriated Democrats late last week in a prime-time TV interview designed to ease their concerns, when he was asked how he would feel if he stayed in the race and lost to his bitter Republican rival.

“I’ll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the good as job as I know I can do, that’s what this is about,” he replied.