Joe Biden has warned that his successor, Donald Trump, will attempt to “steal” the upcoming US midterm elections, delivering the remarks in a rare public address on Friday.
Speaking in South Carolina, where he was being honoured for his lifetime achievements in politics, Biden said the United States was experiencing “dark days” and urged Americans to vote in order to defend democratic institutions.
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The speech, delivered at the Columbia Museum of Art, came hours before the Trump administration launched strikes on Iran, adding to a turbulent political backdrop.
‘Battle for the soul of the nation’
Reprising a theme from his successful 2020 presidential campaign, Biden told the audience that the “battle for the soul of this nation is one that’s never really over”.
He criticised Trump’s reported plans to introduce stricter voting requirements ahead of the midterms, describing them as efforts to suppress turnout.
“Here’s the good news,” Biden said. “In America, the power still belongs to the people for now. And the way to show the power is vote, show up and vote. And folks, when we do that, that’s bad news for Donald Trump, and he knows it.
“That’s why he’s trying to pull out more and more barriers – put them up. He’s trying to steal the election, because he knows he can’t win your vote, so he’s going to do everything he can to prevent you from wanting to vote.”
Rare appearance after health treatment
Biden, 83, has largely remained out of the public eye since leaving office and undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of prostate cancer. He did not address his health during Friday’s speech.
Instead, he turned his focus to Trump’s recent State of the Union address and broader policy decisions, including an immigration crackdown that he said had resulted in the deaths of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January.
“He doesn’t mention Renee Good, Alex Pretti … [or] offer even a word of solace to their families,” Biden said.
He also criticised Trump for failing to acknowledge victims connected to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019. Trump was among the many high-profile figures who had previously associated with Epstein.
Approval ratings and political backdrop
Biden’s remarks come as opinion polls suggest Trump is facing significant public dissatisfaction. An early February survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 61% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s performance in office. A separate NPR/PBS News/Marist poll reported that a majority of US adults believe the country is moving in the wrong direction.
Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race after a widely criticised debate performance in June of that year. He endorsed his vice-president, Kamala Harris, as his successor, but Trump ultimately defeated her in the general election to return to the White House.
In his address on Friday, Biden framed the upcoming midterms as a crucial test of democratic resilience, urging supporters to remain engaged despite what he described as a challenging political climate.
“The power still belongs to the people,” he said. “But only if they use it.”
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 28 Feb 2026