Former President Joe Biden warned that America is entering “dark days” under Donald Trump’s leadership, painting a grim picture of the nation’s political climate while insisting that democracy can still prevail.
Speaking at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, where he accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award, the 82-year-old Biden made his first public appearance since completing radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
“Friends, I can’t sugarcoat any of this. These are dark days,” Biden said, according to the Associated Press. “But America is more powerful than any dictator.”
Biden accused Trump of “testing the limits of executive power” and “undermining free speech,” pointing to comedians and late-night hosts who have faced political backlash for criticizing the president. “They’re shining a light on free expression even when their careers are on the line,” he said.
The comments referenced the recent controversy involving Jimmy Kimmel, whose show was temporarily pulled after remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel later apologized, but the incident renewed concerns about political pressure in entertainment.
“America is not a fairy tale,” Biden added. “For 250 years, it’s been a struggle between peril and possibility. But we’ve always come out stronger.”
He urged citizens not to “check out” during hard times, saying America has historically emerged from every crisis “stronger, wiser, and more just.”
The White House, however, dismissed Biden’s remarks as hypocritical. Assistant press secretary Liz Huston said in a statement that “the real dark days were under Joe Biden’s failed leadership — when millions of illegal alien criminals poured into our cities, inflation crushed working families, and men played in women’s sports.”
Biden’s stark rhetoric underscores how deeply divided the country remains — and how both political camps are weaponizing the idea of “dark days” to define the nation’s future.
