Trump lashes out at Joe Biden ahead of 2024 US polls; 'He's a common thief, stupid person'

Former United States (US) President Donald Trump, amidst his pursuit of the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, referred to US President Joe Biden as a "highly unintelligent individual." Trump's remarks were made during an interview with Wayne Allyn Root on Real America's Voice, a conservative network, on July 15. A clip of his comments was shared on Twitter by PatriotTakes, and it garnered over 170,000 views by early Tuesday morning (local time).

The former president maintains his position as the frontrunner in the polls for the GOP presidential nomination. Meanwhile, President Biden has declared his intention to seek re-election in 2024 and is highly likely to secure the Democratic candidacy.

"I never went after Biden like I could have because of respect for the presidency," Trump told Root during the interview.

Trump added, "He's a stone cold crook. He's a common thief. He's a lowlife and he's a very stupid person. Beyond anything else, I mean, he's a stupid person."

The former president also said, "Now, I say it because when they indict your opponent, which nobody thought was possible, especially on nonsense—you know it all comes under the Presidential Records Act."

Trump went on to discuss the act before Root moved on to a different question. He has been indicted over his alleged mishandling of government documents.

PatriotTakes, a Twitter account that identifies as "researchers monitoring and exposing right-wing extremism," shared a video clip featuring those comments made by the former president.

Is Trump highlighting Biden's ongoing investigation?

Trump's assertion that Biden is a "crook" is likely connected to an ongoing investigation by the GOP-led House Oversight Committee, according to Newsweek. The investigation is focused on allegations of corruption involving President Biden and his family, specifically his son, Hunter Biden.

In May, Republican Representative James Comer, who chairs the Oversight Committee, and Republican Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa, requested documents from the FBI. Their request pertained to an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national. The investigation revolves around claims of impropriety and potential wrongdoing during Biden's tenure as Vice President.

The accusations against Biden were primarily based on the testimony of Gal Luft, a whistleblower and co-director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security in Maryland. Representative James Comer had referred to Luft as a "missing" witness in the Biden investigation.

In July, the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed an eight-count indictment against Gal Luft. The charges included acting as an unregistered foreign agent on behalf of China, violating US sanctions against Iran, trafficking in arms, and making false statements to federal agents, among other offenses.