Former President Donald Trump‘s campaign rebuked President Joe Biden’s Thursday address, where he denounced college protests against Israel.
Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for the Trump campaign, singled out the length of time it took for Biden to give a public response to the widespread college encampments that have spread across the nation.
“It took Joe Biden weeks to even talk about the Biden Campus Protests, and he refused to outright condemn the pro-Hamas, pro-genocide mobs and the sad truth is that he needs their votes,” Leavitt said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
Biden broke his silence on the topic during an address from the Roosevelt Room at the White House. “Violent protest is not protected. Peaceful protest is,” Biden said in an unscheduled speech. “It’s against the law when violence occurs. Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It’s against the law.”
Pro-Palestinian college students have taken over buildings on campus or set up encampments to pressure the university administration to divest from Israel. At times, the protests have led to violent clashes with counterprotesters and law enforcement.
According to the Associated Press, at least 2,000 people have been arrested from the protests since April 18.
The president refused to endorse sending in the National Guard to end the protests and said his response to the conflict between Israel and Hamas had not changed.
The remarks did little to stop criticism from the GOP.
“These violent, anti-Semitic riots all started because of Joe Biden’s failed foreign policy. He enabled Iran, which led to the war in Israel,” Leavitt continued. “Joe Biden’s weakness and failure is why chaos is breaking out across our country and all over the world. Americans can rest secure in the fact that on day one, President Trump will restore peace through strength abroad, and demand law and order at home.”
The Republican National Committee’s social media team repeatedly blasted Biden’s speech.
“MISSING FROM BIDEN’S REMARKS: The word “condemn.” Biden still refuses to outright CONDEMN the pro-Hamas mobs on college campuses (his supporters — whose votes he desperately needs),” RNC Research posted on X.
Before heading into court Thursday morning, Trump criticized the college protests and questioned Biden’s slow response to the matter.
“THIS IS A RADICAL LEFT REVOLUTION TAKING PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY. WHERE IS CROOKED JOE BIDEN? WHERE IS GOVERNOR NEWSCUM?” Trump posted on Truth Social before heading to the New York County Criminal Courthouse.
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One day earlier, Trump praised the New York Police Department for clearing out protests at Columbia University during a Wisconsin campaign event.
“They did an incredible job. They went into one of the big … beautiful landmark building. Boy, they got the hell beat out of it last night,” Trump said. “You know you’re supposed to take care of those buildings? It took a beating. But the police came in, and exactly two hours, everything was over. It was a beautiful thing to watch.”