An MSNBC host earned a startled laugh from Jill Biden during a live broadcast when she asked the first lady about attacks from Republicans who branded her the “Biden crime family.”
During Thursday morning's edition of Morning Joe, host Mika Brzezinski sat down with Biden for an exclusive interview.
“What do you think when you hear Trump’s Republicans calling you the Biden crime family?” Brzezinski asked, pausing as the 72-year-old laughed awkwardly.
“I have a congresswoman: The Biden crime family has sold out America, Marjorie Taylor Greene,” she continued, referencing the Georgia Republican’s previous comments. 'He's a liar. “He is mentally incompetent.” Biden shook his head.
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden sat down with MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski during Thursday's edition of Morning Joe
Brzezinski asked the 72-year-old about Republicans branding her husband a “liar” and “mentally incompetent,” prompting a startled laugh from Biden
The first lady called the 2024 presidential election “scary” and expressed disbelief that the United States witnessed an insurrection during the Jan. 6 riots
“And let's not even talk about what 'Let's go, Brandon' means, but there are U.S. senators holding signs that say that,” Brzezinski said.
The slogan dates back to 2021, when NASCAR fans shouted “F*** Joe Biden” during winner Brandon Brown's post-race interview, only to be misheard by a reporter.
Since then, it has become a rallying cry for the president's MAGA opponents, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was once seen posing at a baseball game with a sign bearing the motto.
“It's hard to realize our country, isn't it?” said the First Lady. “I mean, if you look at what we had before and what the other side, the extremists, have done to this country.”
Even a decade ago, “we would never see something like this,” she explained.
“This has to be so different than any race you and your husband have run in,” Brzezinski said, which Biden acknowledged.
“It’s a little scary,” the teacher admitted. “I think it's not just for me and Joe, but just to see what happened.”
She continued, “I mean, look at the insurrection that took place.” I mean, it's just so hard to believe that the United States of America witnessed an insurrection. I think Americans were just stunned by it.'
Biden and Brzezinski discussed the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, with Brzezinski mentioning that former President Donald Trump referred to the rioters as “hostages.”
The 72-year-old said the fact that Trump was in the presidential race had made her “even more eager to join the fight,” adding: “We have to win.” “We can, our democracy Do not release”
“I suspect that they are being called hostages by the front-runner, the Republican front-runner,” Brzezinski said, referring to former President Donald Trump’s longstanding defense of the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters.
“Or patriots, you know, like he – he doesn't call them what they were: insurgents, dangerous extremists,” Biden said.
“And you still want to take part in the fight?” Brzezinski asked.
“Oh, that makes me want to get in the fight even more, because we have to win,” Biden said. 'We have to win. “We cannot let go of our democracy.”
Similar concerns, including concerns that a second Trump presidency would operate like a dictatorship, have only intensified in light of the former president's recent comments.
After his election hearing on January 9, the 77-year-old spoke to reporters at the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, the former Trump International Hotel.
“A president must have immunity,” he said. “And the other thing was, I didn’t do anything wrong. “We didn’t do anything wrong.”
He then argued for immunity for all presidents, stressing that it would set a “very bad precedent” if he were successfully prosecuted.
“When they talk about threats to democracy, that’s your real threat to democracy,” Trump said of the case against him. “And I believe that to be president you have to have immunity. “Very simple.”
He insisted he had done “absolutely nothing wrong,” adding: “And I have worked very hard against voter fraud because we need free elections.”
A day before the interview, Biden's son Hunter made a surprise appearance at a meeting of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee
In a tweet, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene referred to the Bidens as “the Biden Crime Family” and claimed Hunter “flee the scene” as she spoke
The first lady briefly mentioned her son during Thursday's interview, calling Republicans' treatment of him “cruel” amid several ongoing investigations
A day later, President Biden's son Hunter made a surprise appearance at an address to the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.
That day, the committee advanced a resolution finding him in contempt of Congress for failing to respond to a request to testify before the House last month.
He left the room just as Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and staunch Trump supporter, was speaking.
“WOW – Hunter Biden fled the scene as I began to uncover the truth behind the Biden Crime Family,” Greene later tweeted.
“It's a shame his father can't save him this time.” “We have mountains of evidence of Biden family corruption and foreign influence, and there will be accountability for these crimes.”
Hunter Biden's daughter Naomi hit back on social media, writing: “Actually it looks like everyone fled the scene when she started lying.”
During Thursday's broadcast, the first lady herself made a brief reference to her son and condemned the attacks against him, which have drawn scrutiny from the Justice Department and members of Congress.
“I think it's cruel what they're doing to Hunter and I'm really proud of how Hunter has rebuilt his life after addiction,” she said. “I love my son and it hurt my grandchildren.”