President Trump late Sunday repeatedly attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ahead of the former vice president’s campaign trip to western Pennsylvania on Monday, claiming he wasn’t doing enough to address the unrest in U.S. cities.
“Joe Biden is coming out of the basement earlier than his hoped for ten days because his people told him he has no choice,” Trump claimed in a series of tweets in which he called Biden “weak on crime” and said he had no choice due to liberal voters.
Biden will travel to Pittsburgh on Monday and give a speech that his campaign says will offer a vision of a future beyond Trump’s America.
In his remarks, Biden will address Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as well as the effect it’s had on school reopenings. He will also argue that Trump is continuing to fan the flames of division and that he is encouraging chaos in our cities.
Biden’s address is set to come following a week in which protests again erupted nationwide in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis. A number of demonstrations have led to violence and rioting.
Trump has argued the unrest is a product of local Democratic leadership, and he has repeatedly pledged “law and order” in response. He sent several tweets Sunday targeting Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D), arguing the National Guard was needed in the city.
Trump is planning to visit Kenosha on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement and survey damage from recent riots. State and federal Democratic officials, however, are voicing concerns about the effects his presence could have in the city.
In an open letter to the White House, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) asked Trump to reconsider the trip.
“I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together,” Evers wrote.
Wisconsin is a key battleground state in this year’s presidential election. Trump narrowly beat Hillary Clinton in the state in 2016. Biden has a slim 3.5-point lead over Trump in Wisconsin, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls.