Trump’s Magic Word: “Biden”

The prosecution and conviction of Juan Orlando Hernández, former president of Honduras, and sentence to 45 years imprisonment was one of the big victories in the unfortunately named War on Drugs, a metaphor that’s gone full tilt when it comes to killing.

So why then, would Trump state his intention to pardon JOH, as he’s known?

After not knowing who the question was about, Trump knew exactly why he was going to issue the pardon, even though the investigation leading to the prosecution began during Trump 1.0.

Trump: Many of the people of Honduras said it was a Biden setup. I looked at the facts and agreed with them.

Reporter: What evidence can you share that it was a setup?

Trump: You can take any country you want, if somebody sells drugs in that country, that doesn’t mean you arrest the president and put him in jail for the rest of his life.

This invocation of “Biden” echoes Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on “This Week” blaming Biden for the failed vetting of accused Afghani killer, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, ignoring that asylum was granted in April 2025 under the Trump regime.

Blaming Biden has become both an article of faith within the Trump administration and a “get out of jail free” card. Does its mere mention absolve Trump of all responsibility? It’s unclear whether it’s widely believed, or just connected to actions that don’t rise to the level of outrage that justify much concern. But what has become clear is that Trump has found the invocation of “Biden,” whom he loathes for having humiliated him in his loss in 2020, to be an all-purpose excuse.

And indeed, the Tu Quoque Choir has embraced the “but Biden” rationalization to provide plausible cover to Trump’s behavior at almost every turn. Bad pardons of miscreants who paid off Trump? What about Biden pardoning his son, huh? Trump calling women reporters stupid, insubordinate, piggy? What about Biden calling Doocy a “stupid son of a bitch,” huh? The obvious answer, of course, is that it was wrong for Biden and wrong for Trump, but that doesn’t seem to connect for the apologists

At some point, Trump has to take responsibility for his own actions and stop using Biden as his go-to justification for any bizarre, inexplicable or flagrantly improper action, such as pardoning JOH. At some point, his base needs to do the same, or at the very least give some thought to the fact that merely mentioning “Biden” neither explains nor justifies whatever Trump does. At some point, Trump and the sycophants in his administration need to own what they choose to do. No matter how much Trump and his minions hate Biden, it’s now the Trump presidency and Biden is no longer to blame for Trump’s improprieties.

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8 thoughts on “Trump’s Magic Word: “Biden””

  2. Hal

    At least one of the Thanksgiving turkeys pardoned by Biden has gone on to re-offend. The White House blames “an improper vetting process”. I’m guessing this means that the vet was a Democrat?

  3. PK

    The rub is they do firmly believe in their heart of hearts that “Biden” or whomever is a complete justification and explanation for everything Trumpie is doing now. It’s not a matter of reason, but of faith. Thus, we find ourselves in our current internecine struggle. How glad I am that most seem to be digging trenches in anticipation of the hostilities. Hell, it all even has me praying; God, please help us.

    “In every age it has been the tyrant, the oppressor and the exploiter who has wrapped himself in the cloak of patriotism, or religion, or both to deceive and overawe the People.” Eugene Debs WWI Speech, June 16, 1918.

  5. Oregon Lawhobbit

    Quoth our host: “At some point, Trump has to take responsibility for his own actions…”

    That would be “when he grows up,” which, given all current evidence, is not likely to happen any time soon.

  6. Pedantic Grammar Police

    Biden is Trump’s straight man. Like Bela Lugosi in “Plan 9 From Outer Space” he lives on in Trump’s comedy routine.

  7. Hunting Guy

    That chopper pilot is gonna really be pissed about the backblast from that RPG.

    Yeah, yeah, it’s a political cartoon but it still bugs me.

    1. Hal

      Hah! I had the same thought.

      In other news, Trump is renaming the San Andreas fault.

      Hereafter, it will be known as “Joe Biden’s Fault”.

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