Biden Re-Emerges, Bolsters Team Amidst Criticism and Trump’s Second Term

Former President Joe Biden is stepping back into the public eye, a move that comes as he faces a barrage of criticism from both sides of the political aisle. While President Donald Trump continues his attacks, some Democrats are also expressing discontent, blaming Biden for past election setbacks and urging the party to embrace new leadership.

To navigate this challenging landscape and rehabilitate his reputation and legacy, Biden has enlisted the help of Chris Meagher, a seasoned strategist and communicator with extensive experience in Democratic politics and the Biden administration.

Sources have confirmed that Meagher, a veteran of the Biden administration, will be working with the former president as Trump’s second term in the White House passes its first 100 days. Traditionally, former presidents have observed a period of silence during this initial phase of a new administration, refraining from public criticism.

However, Biden appears ready to re-engage actively in the public discourse. As a sign of this shift, he is scheduled to appear live on "The View" talk show this Thursday, a segment that sources say Meagher played a key role in arranging.

This appearance follows Biden’s first interview since Trump’s inauguration, which took place earlier this week with the BBC. Biden’s decision to re-enter the political and media spotlight may not be universally welcomed within the Democratic Party. While many Democrats acknowledge and appreciate the policies passed during his single term in the White House, others continue to hold him responsible for the party’s disappointing performance in the last November elections. These voices are advocating for fresh faces to lead the party as it seeks to regain its political footing.

Biden’s renewed public presence comes at a time when his successor in the White House is escalating attacks on the former president on various fronts. Adding to the complexity, the Trump administration, according to a Politico report, is considering releasing audio recordings of Biden’s interview with then-special counsel Robert Hur. Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents raised questions about Biden’s mental acuity in a report issued in February 2024.

Biden’s historic 2020 victory over Trump made him the oldest person ever elected U.S. president. Hur’s report intensified existing concerns about whether Biden, then 81 and seeking re-election, possessed the physical and mental stamina to serve another four years in the White House.

His performance in the debate against Trump last June only intensified those concerns, leading to widespread calls from fellow Democrats for him to withdraw as the party’s nominee for 2024.

Ultimately, Biden yielded to the pressure and ended his re-election campaign in late July. Vice President Kamala Harris then stepped forward as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.

Despite stepping aside, Biden continues to face criticism from within his own party for remaining in the 2024 White House race for too long.

When asked in the BBC interview if he should have ended his re-election bid sooner, Biden responded, "I don’t think it would have mattered. It was a hard decision, I think it was the right decision."

In the same interview, Biden also launched a strong attack against Trump. He criticized Trump for allegedly renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, for his repeated suggestions about acquiring Greenland or seizing control of the Panama Canal, and for consistently proposing that Canada should become the 51st state of the United States.

"What the hell’s going on here? What president ever talks like that? That’s not who we are," Biden said. "We’re about freedom, democracy, opportunity, not about confiscation." He also condemned Trump’s approach to ending the Russia-Ukraine war, calling it "modern-day appeasement."

Chris Meagher, the new addition to Biden’s team, is a seasoned political operative and strategist with experience in both the political and private sectors. He has worked for the Democratic National Committee, Senator John Tester of Montana’s successful 2018 re-election campaign, and Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign, where Buttigieg went from being a long shot to a major contender for the Democratic nomination.

During the Biden administration, Meagher held positions under Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, served as a White House deputy press secretary, and later became a Defense Department spokesperson.