Biden Makes Stark Claim in Graduation Ceremony at Howard U – Watch
President Biden on Saturday called white supremacy the “most dangerous terrorist threat” to the United States, a statement that drew criticism from some conservatives who accused him of scapegoating white Americans.
Biden made the remarks during a commencement speech at Howard University, a historically black college in Washington, D.C. He said that white supremacy is “a poison” that is “metastasizing in our country” and that it is “a threat to our democracy.”
“We must be clear and unequivocal: White supremacy is the most dangerous terrorist threat facing our homeland,” Biden said. “It’s not hyperbole. It’s not a joke. It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s a reality. And I’m not saying this because I’m at a Black HBCU. I say it wherever I go.”
Biden used this platform to take a shot at his opponent, former President Donald Trump.
“Let’s be clear: There are those who don’t see you and don’t want this future,” Biden said. “There are those who demonize and pit people against one another. And there are those who do anything and everything, no matter how desperate or immoral, to hold onto power. And that’s never going to be an easy battle.”
Biden finished his speech by telling the Howard grads that they represent “the best” of America.
“I know this,” the president said. “The oldest, most sinister forces may believe they’ll determine America’s future, but they are wrong. We will determine America’s future. You will determine America’s future. And that’s not hyperbole.”
Some conservatives, however, criticized Biden’s remarks, saying that he was unfairly scapegoating white Americans. They argued that white supremacy is a fringe ideology that does not pose a serious threat to the United States.
“The president is once again trying to divide the country by race,” said Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. “White supremacy is not a threat to our country. It’s a tiny fringe group that does not represent the vast majority of Americans.”
BIDEN AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY: "The most dangerous terrorist threat to our homeland is white supremacy — and I'm not saying this because I'm at a Black HBCU. I say it wherever I go.”
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 13, 2023