President Trump on Tuesday railed against former President Biden, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and judges that have aimed to block some of his executive actions during a rally in Michigan to mark 100 days in office.
In a speech that invoked much of his campaign rhetoric, Trump within minutes criticized Biden’s presidency, asking the crowd, “How the hell did that guy ever become president, can somebody explain? How the hell did that happen?”
After criticizing polling companies that show his numbers sinking and claiming they poll more Democrats than Republicans to account for his low approval rating, Trump asked the crowd in Michigan to take a “poll.”
“What’s better, sleepy Joe or crooked Joe?” he said, asking attendees in Warren, Michigan to yell out.
He then brought up claims that his predecessor used an autopen to sign bills, orders and other actions, suggesting Biden wasn’t actively the president and that top aides around him were actually in charge.
Trump said in March that he thinks last-minute pardons from Biden are “void” due to them being signed with an autopen.
“Biden, we found out whoever operated the autopen was the real president and Biden knew nothing about it. He had a group of radical left guys and a woman in particular, a woman, very smart people… these are sick people, they’re not stupid people,” Trump said on Tuesday, not naming who he was referring to.
The president went on to mock Powell, who he appointed during his first term, for not further reducing interest rates, something he’s railed against repeatedly. He has insisted, however that he has “no intention” to try to fire the Fed chair who has some time still left in his term.
“Interest rates came down despite the fact that I have a Fed person who’s not really doing a good job but I won’t say that, I want to be very nice. I want to be very nice and respectful to the Fed. You’re not supposed to criticize the Fed, you’re supposed to let him do his own thing. But I know much more than he does about interest rates, believe me,” Trump said.
He had called Powell a “major loser” last week and suggested the Fed’s previous rate cuts were aimed at helping Biden. The president has been pressuring the Fed to lower interest rates.
The president also continued his criticism of judges overseeing cases that challenge many of his executive actions in office. There are nearly 250 legal challenges to hundreds of orders signed by Trump since he was sworn-in Jan. 20.
Among the challenges are his invoking of the 18th century Alien Enemies Act, which enables immigrants to be deported due to an “invasion” of a foreign nation. Hundreds of Venezuelans have been swept up since and sent to a notorious Salvadoran prison.
Among those deported is Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the administration admitted in court documents was sent to El Salvador in “administrative error.” White House officials have since disputed that notion and the lawyer who wrote that court document has been put on leave.
The case has made its way all the way up to the Supreme Court, who ordered the administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return but officials continued to maintain they had no intention of returning him.
The high court has since paused the implementation of the Act, which the administration says it is following.
Trump also celebrated his November 2024 election win. The Michigan appearance had been the first time Trump embarked on a campaign-like rally since he won.
Trump said at the rally that he believes the top reason he won against former Vie President Kamala Harris was due to illegal immigration, suggesting the courts are trying to stand in the way of his agenda.
“And now the courts are trying to say, you know, that doesn’t matter. I don’t think it’s going to be allowed to stand,” the president said.
Throughout the rally, the president touted various actions in the first 100 days, including mass deportations, creating the presidential commission to “make America healthy again,” declaring only two genders in the U.S., withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord and World Health Organization, and overhauling the federal workforce.
He also called on Congress to move ahead with his ambitious tax agenda, following remarks from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent the day before that July 4 is the new deadline for lawmakers to pass the legislation.
“It would be nice if we had just a couple of Democrats,” Trump said about the bill. “Every once in a while you have some grandstander Republicans.”
“Remember who those grandstanders were and vote them the hell out of office. Okay? Will you do that?” Trump added.
He touted that his tax bill will include no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security and no tax on overtime, as well as cuts to $1 trillion in “wasteful and unnecessary spending.” Additionally, he vowed to protect Social Security and Medicare, as well as to “preserve Medicaid” while cutting “the corruption and the crooks” who try to take advantage of it.
But the measure has a long way to go to pass, even in a GOP-controlled House. Republicans in Congress have been disagreeing on how deeply to cut Medicaid, while cutting enhanced payments would bring significant savings but it would represent a major cost shift to states.
The president’s remarks were Michigan were his first major speech outside of Washington since he took office in January. Before the speech, he spoke at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and complimented Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer during his stop.