Trump campaign sets bar higher for Biden ahead of first debate – Washington Examiner

Former President Donald Trump‘s 2024 campaign is seeking raise expectations for President Joe Biden in the lead-up to Thursday night’s debate, despite spending the past two years criticizing his physical and mental fitness for office.

Trump routinely attacks Biden’s age, but two of his senior campaign advisers, Jason Miller and Chris LaCivita, warned reporters on Tuesday that Biden, 81, will be “completely super soldiered up” following a week at Camp David spent preparing for the debate.

The advisers further alleged that Biden will use performance-enhancing drugs including Adderall to help get him through the night, reprising claims he did so for his expectations-defying State of the Union earlier this year. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Trump’s ex-White House physician, echoed the allegation in a letter sent to the White House over the weekend demanding Biden take a drug test both before and after the debate.

“We know that Joe Biden after taking entire week off, he’s going to — I don’t know if it will be at the level of Steve Rogers walking in and coming out as Captain America — but his team is going to have him ready, just as they had in 2008, 2012, 2024,” Miller said on a press call Tuesday afternoon.

The Biden campaign has responded to the line of attack by accusing Trump of “resorting to desperate, obviously false lies.”

The advisers largely avoided discussing Trump’s own strategy for the debate but again warned reporters that Biden would “blame” his predecessor for any of his political woes.

“We know that Joe Biden is going to try to blame everything on President Trump,” Miller continued, adding that the president will “lie through the entire debate.”

Near the call’s conclusion, the Trump team additionally warned that CNN, which is hosting the debate, “could influence things” and try to rig the outcome for Biden.

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“CNN is in control of when microphones are turned off, and we would hope that everything is going to be treated fairly,” Miller said. “Both candidates will have a fair shake on that, but that’s to be seen.”

“The question remains to be seen. Will CNN decide that they are facilitators, or will CNN become a participator?” LaCavita added. “I think that’s a fair question for us to have, judging from past history.”