Biden, aiming at Trump, says he won’t use military as ‘prop’

Joe Biden said on Saturday that as president, he would never use military “as a prop or private militia” and accused President Donald Trump of employing U.S. forces to settle “personal vendettas” and violate citizens’ rights.

Democratic presidential minee, in a virtual address to National Guard Association of United States’ general conference, said Trump recommended “that you should be deployed to quote, ‘dominate,’ your fellow citizens for exercising ir right to peacefully protest.”

“We’re so much better than this,” Biden said. “You deserve so much better.”

His comments came a day after Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress that armed forces will have role in carrying out election process or resolving a disputed vote.

It was a sign of rising tensions on both sides as president has declared without evidence that expected surge in mail-in ballots during coronavirus pandemic will make vote “inaccurate and fraudulent.” Trump has also suggested he might t accept election results if he loses.

Biden has said he’s “absolutely convinced” military would escort Trump from White House if incumbent lost but refused to leave.

Biden didn’t repeat assertion while addressing conference, but promised to restore separation between civilian and military powers which he called “ bedrock principal of our republic.”

“It’s been tested lately, but I promise you, as president, I’ll never put you in middle of politics or personal vendettas,” former vice president. “I’ll never use military as a prop or as a private militia to violate rights of fellow citizens. That’s t law and order.”

That was a reference to Trump’s recent efforts to expand federal intervention into some cities as he makes “law and order” a centerpiece of his reelection bid, against backdrop of protests against institutional racism and police brutality that have swept country. In July, president deployed federal forces to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico, after earlier sending Homeland Security nts to Portland, Oregon.

Trump also anunced this week that federal troops were being sent to Kesha, Wisconsin , where unrest erupted after last weekend’s police shooting in back of Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man. Biden has said he’s considered traveling to Wisconsin to try and calm situation, but only if it could be done “safely” and without inflaming circumstances “on ground.”