Why the Republican's Biden fixation risks distracting from Trump's priorities
The House has launched investigations asserting that Biden's closest advisers covered up a physical and mental decline during the 82-year-old Democrat's presidency. The Senate has started a series of hearings focused on his mental fitness. And Trump's White House has opened its own investigation into the Biden administration's use of the presidential
autopen , which Trump has called 'one of the biggest scandals in the history of our country'.
It all fits with Trump's practice of blaming his predecessors for the nation's ills. Just last week, he tried to deflect criticism of his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case by casting blame on others, including Biden.
Turning the spotlight back on the former president carries risks for both parties heading into the 2026 midterms. The more Republicans or Democrats talk about Biden, the less they can make arguments about the impact of Trump's presidency – positive or negative – especially his sweeping new tax cut and spending law that is reshaping the federal government.
'Most Americans consider Joe Biden to be yesterday's news,' Republican pollster Whit Ayres said.
Republicans intensify focus on Biden's legacy, risking distraction from Trump's agenda. Photo: AP
Republicans want Biden's autopen to become a flashpoint
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