Updated Dec 28, 2019 - Energy & Climate

Joe Biden says he won't testify in Trump impeachment trial

Rashaan Ayesh

President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden — Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Ronen Tivony/Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Former Vice President Joe Biden tweeted Saturday he wanted to clarify comments he made to The Des Moines Register that he would defy a subpoena to testify in President Trump's Senate impeachment trial. But he didn't make clear whether he would testify.

Why it matters: Biden told the news outlet his testimony would take all of the focus off Trump, allowing the president would be able to get away with violating the Constitution. This is a move straight out of Trump's career playbook, according to Biden.

During his interview with the Register, Biden said the media plays a role in taking the focus off of Trump because they would report on Biden's testimony for weeks afterward.

"The reason I wouldn't is because it is all designed to deal with Trump doing what he's done his whole life. Trying to take the focus off him. Not a single person, not one single person, not even that thug Giuliani and his crony compatriots have said I did anything other than my job."

— Former Vice President Joe Biden

What's new: Following the publication of his comments to the Des Moines Register, Biden said on Twitter that he'd always complied with a lawful order in his 40 years in public life "and in my eight years as VP, my office — unlike Donald Trump and Mike Pence — cooperated with legitimate congressional oversight requests." He added:

Go deeper: 99% of the Trump campaign's TV ads this year discussed impeachment

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Joe Biden says he won't testify in Trump impeachment trial

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