Donald Trump still can’t stop talking about Joe Biden — and he proved it again Tuesday night.
Speaking at a rally in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, Trump abandoned his usual nicknames and went for something even harsher.
The former president, who has long called Biden “Sleepy Joe” and “Crooked Joe,” tested out a new insult while bragging about his ability to read a crowd without paying for polls.
He claimed he didn’t need professional polling because he could simply ask the thousands attending his rallies which nickname they preferred.
“Typically, ‘Crooked Joe’ wins,” he told the audience, before adding, “I’m surprised, because to me, he’s a sleepy son of a b—.”
Comments about “chief of staff”
Trump also riffed on the title “chief of staff,” saying it had briefly fallen out of favor because Native Americans objected to it — but then claimed they “actually want their name used.” He praised Wiles as “fantastic.”
Blaming Biden on the economy
The event came as polls show voters increasingly doubtful of Trump’s handling of the economy. Recent off-cycle elections delivered Republicans a string of disappointing results, giving the White House ammunition to argue that the economy is stabilizing and that inflation isn’t tied to Biden’s policies.
Trump, however, continues to insist Biden is responsible for high inflation, even though prices had begun leveling off in 2022. Economists have pointed out that Trump’s own broad “Liberation Day” tariffs have pushed prices higher for American consumers — a prediction that has largely come true.
At the White House on Monday, Trump claimed his administration was actually lowering prices, saying:
“We’re bringing prices way down… the Democrats caused the affordability problem, and we’re the ones fixing it.”
Ignoring the teleprompter
Although Trump has promoted “affordability” as a core theme, he now often calls the word itself a “Democrat hoax.”
His rally took place in the district of GOP Rep. Rob Bresnahan, who narrowly won his 2024 race and is now a top target for Democrats. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti is among those running to challenge him. During Trump’s visit, Democrats launched digital ads att:acking Bresnahan over stock trades and accusing Trump of ignoring corruption.
Before Trump arrived onstage, Bresnahan told his supporters that voters wanted results rather than partisan bickering and stressed that the administration was working to bring down costs.
Roughly an hour into the rally, Trump acknowledged that none of it was unfolding as planned. His speech stretched to 1 hour and 36 minutes.
“I haven’t read practically anything off the stupid teleprompter,” he joked. “And my speechwriters keep winning awards for these beautiful speeches — and I haven’t even read them.”
