During a campaign stop in Florida, President Joe Biden made a verbal slip that raised eyebrows and stirred commentary. While criticizing former President Donald Trump’s policies and their impact on women’s reproductive rights, Biden inadvertently mixed up his pronouns, leading to a gaffe that momentarily shifted the focus of his speech.
Biden intended to highlight Trump’s role in the restrictive changes to women’s health care rights, particularly following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. However, instead of pinning the trust issues on Trump, he mistakenly included himself and possibly his administration by stating, “How many times does he have to prove we can’t be trusted?” This slip occurred as he expressed disbelief over the ongoing support for Trump’s actions and policies.
This error comes in the wake of other public misstatements by Biden, including a recent mix-up during an interview where he confused the Israeli city of Haifa with Rafah, a location in Gaza, which he mentioned in the context of ensuring humanitarian aid during the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The President was in Tampa at Hillsborough Community College speaking against Florida’s new six-week abortion ban, which is set to take effect shortly. He emphasized the adverse effects these restrictive laws have on women’s health care across the country, pointing out Trump’s significant influence on the judiciary that led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
In his speech, Biden credited Trump with creating what he described as a “health care crisis for women all over this country,” stating that Trump has not only acknowledged his influence over these developments but has also openly bragged about them. Looking ahead, Biden pointed out that Florida voters will soon have the opportunity to address these issues directly in November when they decide on a ballot measure that proposes extending the period abortions can be conducted from six weeks to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Throughout his campaign, Biden continues to focus on the critical issue of abortion rights, noting that when the matter has been put to vote, even in conservative states, the public has generally favored more protective measures for women’s rights to abortion. This emphasis on reproductive rights is a central theme of Biden’s campaign as he positions himself against Trump and his policies ahead of the upcoming election cycle.