Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is accusing President Donald Trump of using the violence breaking out in cities across the nation for his political gain.
MSNBCâs Andrea Mitchell asked Biden if Trump is ârootingâ for the violence because it helps him politically.
âI think he views it as a political benefit,â Biden said.
Biden mentioned remarks made by White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway in regards to the riots.
âThe more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, the better it is for the very clear choice on whoâs best on public safety and law and order,â Conway said during an interview with Fox News on Thursday.
Biden noted, âWhen has a president or a spokesperson for a president ever said something like that, ever.â
Watch his comments below:
Biden criticized Trump for his response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 when 32-year-old Heather Heyer was killed by a white supremacist during a âUnite the Rightâ rally.
âThis is the same guy when people came out in Charlottesville and a young woman gets killed. Theyâre spewing hate and their veins bulging and carrying swastikas, and white supremacists, and gets asked what about what just happened and he said âthere are very fine people on both sides,â Biden said.
He added, âHe just keeps pouring fuel on the fire. Heâs encouraging this. Heâs not diminishing it at all. This is his America now.â
Bidenâs comments come just one day after Vice President Mike Pence said during his remarks at the Republican National Convention Biden âdid not say one wordâ about the violence last week, as IJR previously reported.
The former vice president did post a video on Wednesday afternoon where he condemned the âneedless violenceâ and acknowledged âprotesting brutality is a right and absolutely necessary.â
Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce he is sending federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Kenosha, Wis. after violence ensued as a result of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, as IJR previously reported.