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Biden Unleashes Fierce Attack on Trump at Maryland Democratic Gala, Accusing Administration of “Brazen, Blatant Corruption”
Biden Unleashes Fierce Attack on Trump at Maryland Democratic Gala, Accusing Administration of “Brazen, Blatant Corruption”
Former President Joe Biden launched one of his sharpest public attacks yet on President Donald Trump during a fiery address at the Maryland Democratic Party’s “Fight Back & Win” gala, accusing the administration of putting personal interests and self-enrichment ahead of the country.
Speaking to Maryland Democrats in Hanover on June 27, Biden focused much of his roughly 10-minute keynote speech on Trump’s activities in Washington, D.C., including projects involving the White House, the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Biden argued that the controversy surrounding the Reflecting Pool represented something deeper than what he described as the administration’s vanity and incompetence.
“It’s the corruption, the corruption. The brazen, blatant corruption.”
He went on to characterize what he called corruption under the administration as occurring on an unprecedented scale. Those statements were Biden’s characterization and were not presented as an established finding by a court or government watchdog.
Biden Points to Trump’s Washington Projects
The former president also mocked several Trump-backed or Trump-associated projects in the nation’s capital.
Biden criticized the demolition of the White House East Wing to make room for a ballroom, Trump’s involvement in changes surrounding the Kennedy Center, a proposed triumphal arch and the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
At one point, after referring to Trump’s projects and his involvement with the pool renovation, Biden declared: “What a loser,” drawing laughter and applause from much of the audience.
The Reflecting Pool became a particular focus of Biden’s criticism. Reports noted that the federal government awarded a $1.7 million filtration-system contract without competitive bidding to a Trump donor who lives near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. Biden used the episode to support his broader accusation of corruption.
Biden Says Trump Has Grown Richer While President
Biden also claimed that Trump had made billions of dollars since returning to the White House and portrayed that alleged increase in wealth as evidence that the presidency was being used for personal financial benefit.
More recent reporting has documented substantial financial gains connected to Trump’s business and cryptocurrency interests. The Washington Post reported in September that Trump made more than $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency in 2025, while companies connected to his sons were associated with billions of dollars in federal contracts, loans and investments. These figures provide context for Biden’s broader argument, although they do not by themselves establish that Trump illegally profited from the presidency.
A Rallying Cry for Democrats
Biden’s remarks were delivered to a strongly Democratic audience at a fundraising event attended by Maryland political leaders, including Gov. Wes Moore, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and members of Congress and the state legislature.
He urged Democrats to remain engaged and fight back against Trump’s policies and administration.
“It’s time to get up,” Biden told the crowd, emphasizing his call for Democrats to organize ahead of the November midterm elections.
The event also featured speeches from other Maryland Democrats, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Jamie Raskin, who similarly criticized the Trump administration and encouraged Democratic activists to remain organized.
