President Joe Biden took humorous jabs at former President Donald Trump during his speech at the Gridiron Club dinner, a longstanding tradition in Washington dating back to the 1880s. The event, known for its witty exchanges between politicians and journalists, saw Biden’s attendance as the first by a sitting president since Trump in 2018.
Biden, 81, recently secured the Democratic Party’s nomination for the upcoming presidential election, setting the stage for a rematch against Trump, 77, in November. In his speech, Biden joked about the age and mental fitness of both candidates, quipping, “One candidate is too old and mentally unfit to be president. The other one is me.”
The event, attended by over 650 guests including prominent figures like Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and TikTok’s Shou Zi Chew, provided a platform for Biden to poke fun at Trump’s mental capacity to hold office, a sentiment echoed by Trump himself in the past.
Biden also used the occasion to emphasize the importance of a free press, highlighting a departure from Trump’s adversarial stance towards the media. Touching on global affairs, Biden discussed the conflict in Ukraine alongside Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, affirming solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
The event wasn’t all politics, as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Utah Governor Spencer Cox injected levity with their own remarks. Cox, 48, humorously announced his future presidential candidacy, quipping about still being younger than both Biden and Trump in 2052.
The Gridiron Club dinner, unlike its televised counterpart, the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, maintains a nostalgic ambiance with formal attire and prohibition on social media during the event. The evening featured satirical songs and skits, including playful jabs at the ages and politics of Biden and Trump.
The Gridiron Club dinner serves as a lighthearted respite in the Washington political scene, allowing for camaraderie and humor amidst the serious business of governance and journalism.