As of: March 8, 2024, 5:08 a.m
By: Stefan Krieger
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US President Joe Biden addresses the nation with a speech.
He admonishes Israel and turns against Putin – and Donald Trump.
“Dangerous and unacceptable”: President Joe Biden towards Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 US election
Joe Biden
on
Israel
: “Humanitarian aid must not be secondary”
In the news ticker we provide information about Biden's State of the Union speech in Washington
.
Update from March 7th, 5:00 a.m.:
At the end of a speech, Biden addressed the topic of “age”.
Biden expressed optimism about his ability to lead the country, citing his age, a controversial issue among some voters who consider him too old.
“I am optimistic.
Thats really me.
“I’m optimistic,” Biden said.
“My fellow Americans, the question facing our nation is not how old we are, but how old our ideas are.” Biden joked about his age, saying, “I know I may not look it, but I’ve been around for a while, and when you get to my age, certain things become clearer than ever.”
Biden on Israel: “Humanitarian aid must not be secondary”
Update from March 8th, 4:45 a.m.: Biden denounced the dramatic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, promised further help to the people there and called on Israel's leadership to better protect civilians.
“More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of whom are not affiliated with Hamas,” Biden said at the traditional State of the Union address in Washington.
Children have become orphans, people have lost their homes and been displaced.
Many are without food, water and medicine.
“It’s heartbreaking.”
Joe Biden, President of the United States, delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol.
© IMAGO/Shawn Thew
Biden urgently appealed to the Israeli leadership to make its contribution to the humanitarian care of the Palestinian civilian population: “Israel must allow more aid deliveries to Gaza and ensure that humanitarian aid workers do not get caught in the crossfire,” warned the Democrat.
“Humanitarian aid must not be secondary or used as a bargaining chip.
Protecting and rescuing innocent people must be a priority.”
Update from March 8th, 4:30 a.m.:
Some Republicans didn't seem to like the president's speech at all.
GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden loudly yelled "lies" as Biden criticized former President Donald Trump, two witnesses told CNN.
Several Republicans left the room early and did not stay for the rest of the speech.
Republican Max Miller, who left the chamber early, said he left because: “This is beneath the dignity of a president.
This is a full-fledged campaign speech.”
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State of the Union speech: Biden attacks Trump
Update from March 7th, 4:00 a.m.:
In his state of the nation speech to both chambers of parliament, US President Joe Biden condemned statements made by his predecessor Donald Trump about the NATO defense alliance.
These are “dangerous and unacceptable,” he warned.
The 77-year-old recently made it clear during a campaign appearance that he would not provide American support to NATO allies with low defense spending in the event of a Russian attack.
“We have to stand up to Putin,” said Biden.
The USA has been considered Kiev's most important ally in the past two years since the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
The US government supplied Ukraine with massive amounts of weapons and ammunition.
However, there has been no supply from the USA for quite some time.
The background is a domestic political blockade in the US Congress, where Republicans have so far refused further aid to Kiev.
It didn't take long for Biden to reference the January 6 insurrection in his speech.
The president lambasted some of those present for refusing to vote and defending the insurgents.
“The insurrectionists were not patriots,” Biden told members of Congress.
“They came to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, to overturn the will of the people.”
Biden said former President Donald Trump and many of those in attendance were "trying to bury the truth about Jan. 6," something he would not tolerate.
“This is a moment to tell the truth and bury the lies.
Here’s the simple truth: You can’t just love your country when you’re winning,” Biden said to widespread applause.
Democrats in white
Update from March 8th, 3:30 a.m.:
Dozens of US Democrats wore white at US President Joe Biden's State of the Union address.
They demonstrated for women's rights.
During his address, Biden also addressed the Supreme Court's restrictions on abortion rights in the United States.
The white clothing is a symbol of the suffragette movement.
At the beginning of the 20th century, American women in the USA demonstrated in white clothing for universal women's suffrage.
In previous years, Democrats had already demonstrated wearing white clothing during state of the nation addresses.
Female members of the Democratic faction make a statement: all in white.
© IMAGO/Jack Gruber
Other guests also made political statements with their outfits.
Democrat Nikema Williams and other women showed up in blue to show solidarity with the Israeli hostages.
Democrat Rashida Tlaib and at least one other woman wore black with a Palestinian scarf over them in solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip.
Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene put on a MAGA cap before the speech began.
MAGA stands for the campaign motto of former US President and presidential candidate Donald Trump: “Make America Great Again”
Biden on health policy
Update from March 7th, 9:55 p.m.:
A fact sheet from the White House has revealed the first possible topic in Joe Biden's State of the Union address.
Biden plans to highlight an initiative to reduce drug prices in his speech.
He also wants to propose expanding access to Obamacare health insurance,
CNN
reported .
The US population is struggling with extremely high drug prices, a circumstance that Biden is addressing with measures to reduce costs, which he emphasized several times during his election campaign.
The so-called “Inflation Reduction Act”, which the Democrats in the US Congress passed in 2022, was intended to reduce drug prices specifically for seniors.
This would allow the health insurance company Medicare to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers.
The first round of negotiations on this is already underway, according to
CNN
.
Biden gives State of the Union address in the middle of the election campaign against Donald Trump
First reported:
Washington, DC.
– In the midst of the US election campaign, President Joe Biden will give the traditional State of the Union address to Congress in Washington on Thursday evening (March 7th, 9:00 p.m. local time/3:00 a.m. CET).
Every year in the “State of the Union” speech, the US presidents inform the Senate and House of Representatives about their priorities and plans.
Biden will also use the opportunity to present legislative initiatives.
This time, the 81-year-old US President's prime-time appearance will probably also be about countering the widespread criticism that he is too old and not dynamic enough for a second term in office.
In his speech, Biden will probably appeal to the opposition Republicans to finally give up their blockade of new billions in aid for Kiev in the Ukraine war and an agreement on immigration policy.
Biden is expected to be challenged in the election on November 5th by his predecessor Donald Trump, who has virtually secured a renewed presidential candidacy after the recent Republican primaries for the 2024 US election.
Trump is ready to debate Biden “anytime, anywhere.”
Meanwhile, Biden's predecessor Donald Trump says he is ready to debate his opponent "anytime, anywhere."
“It is important for the well-being of our country that Joe Biden and I discuss issues that are critical to the United States and the American people,” Trump said on Wednesday (March 6) in the online service he founded,
Truth Social.
“That’s why I call for debates to be held, anytime and anywhere,” emphasized Trump, who had always avoided discussions with his competitors in the race for the Republican nomination.
After his overwhelming victory in the Super Tuesday primaries, Trump has virtually secured the Republican presidential nomination again.
However, according to surveys, the prospect of a repeat of the 2020 duel does not spark much enthusiasm among US voters - which is, among other things, because the incumbent President Biden is 81 and former President Trump is 77 years old.
“Biden is too old and Trump is a little too crazy,” said voter John Campbell in Quincy, Massachusetts, to the
AFP
news agency .
According to polls, despite his scandal-filled presidency from 2017 to 2021, the storming of the Capitol by hundreds of his supporters on January 6, 2021 and the four criminal indictments against him, Trump has a good chance of defeating Biden in November.
(speaking with agency material)