House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has publicly countered former President Donald Trump‘s allegations that President Joe Biden might use cocaine to enhance his performance in the upcoming presidential debate.
What Happened: Johnson has rejected claims by former President Donald Trump that President Joe Biden will be under the influence of cocaine during their forthcoming debate. This statement was made during an interview with CNN, as reported by The Hill.
On Tuesday, Johnson addressed the insinuations Trump made at a recent rally, where he suggested Biden might resort to performance-enhancing drugs. The allegations followed an incident where cocaine was found at the White House last year. However, Johnson dismissed these suggestions, stating, “Of course, no one expects that Joe Biden will be on cocaine.”
Amidst circulating concerns about Biden’s age and mental acuity, Johnson acknowledged that it’s reasonable for people to have questions about Biden’s capability to lead. He also remarked on Biden’s vigor during the State of the Union address in March, which had led some conservatives to speculate about drug use. Despite these speculations, Johnson expects Biden to display similar energy during the debate.
Trump has been vocal about his demand for Biden to take a drug test before the debate, even offering to take one himself, though without providing any evidence for his claims. The first presidential debate is scheduled for Thursday at 9 p.m. EDT on CNN, moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
Why It Matters: The allegations by Trump have been a recurring theme. He previously asserted, without evidence, that Biden was “all jacked up” on cocaine during his State of the Union address. Trump reiterated his demand for a pre-debate drug test, a stance he took during a speech in St. Paul, Minnesota, reported by Mediaite and highlighted in a Benzinga article.
Interestingly, a March report disclosed frequent use of controlled substances, including modafinil and Xanax, by White House staffers during the Trump administration, suggesting a lack of oversight in drug distribution.
As the debate approaches, a poll from late June showed that 64% of people plan to watch the debate. The debates are set to break tradition, with new rules in place to avoid issues from previous debates.
This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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