Biden roasts Trump as Gaza protesters target WHCD
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
President Biden and comedian Colin Jost at White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner. Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
President Biden joked about his age and took jabs at former President Trump during Saturday's White House Correspondents Association Dinner.
Why it matters: Biden has been increasingly using humor in recent weeks to criticize his predecessor and 2024 rival and push back against concerns over his age.
- "The 2024 election is in full swing and yes, age is an issue. I'm a grown man, running against a six-year-old," Biden said, also calling Trump "sleepy Don."
- "Age is the only thing we have in common, my vice president actually endorses me," Biden said, in reference to former Vice President Mike Pence not endorsing Trump in 2024.
Zoom in: Protesters jeered administration officials, journalists and celebrities as they arrived at the annual dinner, criticizing Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war and the media coverage of it.
- "Shame on you!" protesters shouted at attendees, AP reports.
- "Western media we see you, and all the horrors that you hide," crowds chanted.
At the dinner itself, Biden poked fun at Trump's legal troubles. The former president is currently required to be in court four times a week for his New York criminal trial.
- "Donald has had a few tough days lately. You might call it, stormy weather," Biden said.
- "Look, being here is a reminder that folks think what's going on in Congress is political theater," Biden also said.
- "That's not true. If Congress were theater, they have thrown out Lauren Boebert a long time ago," he said, taking aim at the Republican lawmaker from Colorado.
Between the lines: "To all of my friends in the press ... and Fox News," Biden said.
- "I have higher standards, I do interviews with strong independent journalists who millions of people actually listen to, like Howard Stern."
- Biden sat for an interview with Howard Stern on Friday.
Zoom out: Biden used the annual dinner to highlight the role of the free press.
- "There are some who call you the enemy of the people. That's wrong and it's dangerous. You literally risk your lives doing your job," Biden said to the room filled with journalists and government officials.
- "Journalism is clearly not a crime, not here, not there, not anywhere in the world."
Go deeper: 2024's split screen: Feisty Biden on the road, fuming Trump in court
