Former president Donald Trump said President Joe Biden will be “all jacked up” for the first presidential debate after the president reportedly retreated to Camp David to prepare last week.
Trump mocked Biden at a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday ahead of the first presidential debate set for June 27. The former president and the presumed GOP presidential candidate said Biden’s reported stint at Camp David is to give Biden enough time to sleep ahead of Thursday’s debate.
“As you know, it’s been reported that Crooked Joe has gone to a log cabin to ‘study, prepare,’ Trump told the crowd. “No, he didn’t do, he’s sleeping now because they want to get him good and strong.”
“A little before debate time, he gets a shot in the a**,” Trump continued. “They want to strengthen him up so he comes out, he’ll come out – okay, I say he’ll come out all jacked up, right? All jacked up.”
During his Philadelphia trip, Trump divulged that he has decided on a vice presidential pick. While he did not name the person, he said his pick will “most likely” be at the debate.
“They’ll be there,” he then added. “I think we have a lot of people coming.”
By late last week, Trump had reportedly narrowed his focus to two potential vice presidential picks: North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is also in contention, though doubts about his enthusiasm and the legal hurdles of a president and vice president of the same state have dampened his chances.
The Biden campaign is preparing for the debate as the president reportedly preps at Camp David, the longtime presidential retreat. While Biden is out of the public eye, the campaign plans to put on hundreds of events touting the president and drawing a contrast to Trump.
“Now, with the debate just days away, Team Biden-Harris is putting a magnifying glass on the choice this week as Democrats in Atlanta and across the country organize around this moment,” Biden-Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler said in a memo, according to The Hill.
Thursday will be the first time for either Biden or Trump to appear on a debate stage since the 2020 contest.