Biden calls Trump's philosophy 'semi-fascism'

At a Democratic fundraising event in Maryland, the president denounced his predecessor and followers he labeled as "extreme" Republicans.

Biden calls Trump's philosophy 'semi-fascism'

President Joe Biden on Thursday called former President Donald Trump’s philosophy “semi-fascism,” in what constituted an unusually pointed and highly charged denunciation of his predecessor.

“What we’re seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of extreme MAGA philosophy,” Biden said at a Democratic fundraising event in Montgomery County, Md., according to a press pool report. Calling out those he labeled as “extreme” Republicans, Biden said: “It’s not just Trump, it’s the entire philosophy that underpins the — I’m going to say something, it’s like semi-fascism.”

He also criticized the impact the Trump administration had on the United States’ stature in global politics, after addressing Russian President Vladmir Putin’s recent aggression in Ukraine.

“I underestimated how much damage the previous four years had done in terms of America’s reputation in the world,” Biden said.

The president made the remarks at a fundraising event for the Democratic National Committee. During his speech, he also touted recent wins for Democrats, including his domestic policy agenda and the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

“Things are beginning to change a little bit,” he said.

The Democratic National Committee has reported record midterm fundraising for this point in the year, at $255 million for this cycle and $92 million for the year.