Biden Reflects on Regret Over Failing to Counter Misinformation, Including Trump’s Claims

In a candid interview published Wednesday, President Joe Biden addressed the successes and failures of his administration, identifying his inability to counter widespread misinformation — particularly statements made by Donald Trump — as one of his biggest regrets.

Biden lamented the challenges posed by modern information dissemination, emphasizing the difficulty in combating falsehoods in today’s fast-paced media landscape.

“It’s the way information is transmitted now,” Biden explained during his exclusive conversation with USA Today. “And the guy [Trump] is not known for telling the truth.”

Biden criticized Trump’s repeated use of inflammatory rhetoric, particularly his claims following the New Year’s Day attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. These tragic incidents, carried out by American-born individuals, were falsely attributed by Trump to what he termed “open border policies.”

Trump’s remarks suggested an unfounded link between the attacks and immigration issues, which Biden dismissed as harmful and baseless.

“Here comes the president, soon to be president again, saying, ‘It’s an invasion from the South. Immigrants are causing these problems,’” Biden said. “Seventy percent of people who hear that believe it. How do you counter that?”

In the aftermath of the attacks, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to blame Biden’s immigration policies, calling them a driving force behind rising violence.

“With Biden’s ‘Open Border Policies,’ Radical Islamic Terrorism and other violent crimes are worsening. It’s beyond belief,” Trump wrote earlier this month.

Biden, in contrast, praised law enforcement’s efforts to clarify the truth behind the incidents. According to investigations, both attackers acted independently, with no links to broader conspiracies or immigration issues.

Biden expressed a desire for such findings to be made public swiftly to prevent further misinformation.

“We’ve proven beyond doubt they were lone actors,” he said. “I wanted that information out as soon as possible.” Biden criticized Trump’s continued use of misleading narratives even after the facts were established, accusing him of willfully ignoring the evidence for political gain.

Reflecting on his own shortcomings, Biden admitted he wished he had acted more decisively on some policy priorities.

While he avoided detailing specific issues, he suggested that faster implementation of critical infrastructure projects could have significantly benefitted the nation.

“There are some things that still bother me,” he acknowledged. “Had we pushed harder and faster, we’d be in a much better position.”

Biden also took a swipe at Trump’s understanding of policy, asserting, “I shouldn’t admit this, but I will. I don’t think Donald Trump knows as much as I do about these things.”

As his presidency continues, Biden remains focused on addressing the challenges posed by misinformation and advancing the policies he believes will create a more stable and prosperous America.