CHICAGO, USA — Former US President Joseph Biden made his first public appearance since leaving office in January, delivering a speech on disability advocacy and social justice at a national conference in Chicago.
But the address swiftly drew criticism across conservative media after a short video clip, shared by former President Donald J. Trump, triggered outrage online.
A Reflection on Childhood and Racism
Speaking at the national conference of Advocates, Counsellors, and Representatives for the Disabled on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, Mr Biden recounted his early experience with racial segregation while growing up in Delaware.
“I’d never seen—hardly any Black people in Scranton at the time and I was only going in fourth grade,” Mr Biden said.
“I remember seeing the kids going by—at the time called ‘colored kids’—on a bus going by.”
He continued by recalling a conversation with his mother: “I wondered why, asked my mom why. ‘Son, in Delaware, they’re not allowed to go to public school with white kids, honey.’ That sparked my sense of outrage as a kid.”
The memory, shared as part of a larger speech on civil rights and public policy, was meant to highlight the origins of his commitment to justice. But a 14-second clip posted by Mr Trump on Truth Social omitted this context.
Former President Biden: “Look what’s happened now, fewer than 100 days into this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction. It is kind of breathtaking it could happen that soon.” pic.twitter.com/UrggjUWvQJ
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 15, 2025
Trump Allies Seize on Edited Clip
The video, shared without commentary by Mr Trump, was rapidly amplified by MAGA-aligned influencers.
Critics latched onto Mr Biden’s use of the phrase “coloured kids,” which, while presented as a historical term from his childhood, was widely condemned as outdated and offensive.
Nick Sortor, a conservative commentator, reposted the clip with the caption, “The face of the Democrat party.”
“Biden should have never came out of hiding…” wrote Benny Johnson, a right-wing political host. Another influencer added: “What the f–k? Go back into hiding pal.”
WTF?
“I remember watching a bus go by… it was full of colored kids… I had never seen those.”
Go back into hiding pal.
pic.twitter.com/Is297nCx96— Jack (@jackunheard) April 15, 2025
The backlash quickly grew across social media platforms, with supporters of Mr Trump using the moment to question Mr Biden’s mental acuity and fitness for public engagement.
White House Responds with Scorn
Steven Cheung, a senior spokesman for the Trump-aligned White House, responded with a harsh rebuke.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, he called Mr Biden a “total dumb—” and wrote, “Nothing has changed as Crooked Joe Biden continues to beclown himself, proving to the world his feeble mind is in a rapid decline to new lows with this incoherent speech.”
The Biden camp has not officially responded to the criticism.
Biden Targets Trump-Era Cuts to Social Security
Beyond the controversy, Mr Biden used his 30-minute speech to criticise recent changes to the Social Security Administration.
Without directly naming Mr Trump, he condemned a cost-reduction initiative inherited from the previous administration.
“[In] fewer than 100 days, this new administration has made so much damage and so much destruction,” Mr Biden said.
“It’s kind of breathtaking. It could happen that soon they’ve taken a hatchet to the Social Security Administration, pushing additional 7,000 employees out the door in that time.”
Mr Biden warned that these cuts would undermine services for millions of disabled and elderly Americans.
Bipartisan Concern Over Biden’s Word Choice
While criticism was loudest on the right, concerns over Mr Biden’s language crossed partisan lines.
Jonathan Allen, a political correspondent speaking on The Source with Kaitlan Collins on CNN, said Mr Biden “undermined himself right out of the gate.”
“He used the term ‘colored kids,’ which, aside from being totally inappropriate, also puts him in an entirely other generation,” Mr Allen said.
“None of us grew up with anybody saying anything like that. He’s going after Trump, but I don’t think he’s going after Trump effectively.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 15, 2025
A Difficult Return to the Spotlight
Mr Biden, 82, has largely avoided public events since January.
His Chicago address was seen by supporters as a potential moment to re-enter public discourse amid growing scrutiny of the Trump administration’s policies.
However, the reaction to his remarks has overshadowed his policy message.
As the political climate continues to intensify ahead of the 2026 midterms, Mr Biden’s return to the spotlight signals that the former president remains a potent—if divisive—figure in American politics.
