Joe Biden shared strong opinions about Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. His reflections follow Trump’s non-verbal reaction to Biden’s first public speech since leaving the White House.

Recently, former United States (U.S.) President Joe Biden sat down for an exclusive and candid interview with the BBC. During the discussion, Biden shared his thoughts on U.S. President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, expressing his disappointment in the declarations and decisions Trump has made thus far. Biden also reflected on his fears surrounding the future should the Atlantic Alliance collapse.

Seated across from BBC’s Nick Robinson in a Delaware hotel, Biden didn’t mince words as he expressed deep unease over the direction the country — and the world — seems to be heading under Trump’s leadership.

In his first interview since leaving the White House, Biden, once cautious about publicly criticizing successors, appeared driven by conviction rather than politics.

His frustration peaked when discussing Trump’s controversial Oval Office altercation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February 2025, calling the exchange “beneath America.”

He also highlighted Trump’s bizarre and provocative remarks about the “Gulf of America,” acquiring territories like Greenland, and turning Canada into state 51.

“What President ever talks like that? That’s not who we are,” Biden stated, his voice tinged with disbelief. “We’re about freedom, democracy, opportunity — not about confiscation.”

Though Trump has invoked Biden’s name hundreds of times since returning to office — blaming economic downturns on the so-called “Biden’s stock market” and touting recoveries as his own — Biden largely sidestepped domestic grievances.

His focus, instead, remained fixed on the international stage, more specifically, the concern that Biden believes threatens the eight-decade alliance of democracy, peace, and freedom between the U.S. and Europe.

After placing a gold coin from a D-Day commemoration into Robinson’s palm at the start of the interview, Biden warned of what he described as a “grave concern” for the Atlantic Alliance, citing his belief that it appears to be dying.

“I think it would change the modern history of the world if that occurs,” he cautioned, arguing that the collapse of Western unity would embolden adversaries like China and Russia.

He lamented growing doubts among European leaders about America’s reliability, especially as Trump and his administration have cast long shadows over long-standing military alliances, with senior U.S. officials accusing Europe of “free-loading” and draining American resources.

Biden emphasized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO’s) founding pledge as a “sacred obligation,” reminding audiences that under his leadership, Finland and Sweden had joined the alliance — an achievement now at risk of being unraveled.

“We did all that — and in four years we’ve got a guy who wants to walk away from it all,” he said. The concern, Biden explained, is not just about the military alliance, but the crumbling confidence in American leadership.

“I’m worried that Europe is going to lose confidence in the certainty of America,” he admitted, “and the leadership of America in the world, to deal with not only Nato [sic], but other matters that are of consequence.”

Reflecting on his own decision to withdraw from the 2024 election campaign, Biden remained resolute, even as critics questioned the timing of his exit and his fitness to serve.

Dubbed an “at times addled old man” by journalists such as Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, and faltering during debate performances, Biden’s age has been heavily scrutinized in the public sphere.

Speaking on his decision not to run, Biden, who was 82 years old when he left the White House, plainly noted, “I don’t think it would have mattered.”

While he admitted the decision was difficult, dropping out of the presidential race 107 days before election day, Biden maintained that former Vice President Kamala Harris was prepared, well-funded, and positioned to lead.

“What we had set out to do, no-one [sic] thought we could do. And we had become so successful in our agenda, it was hard to say, ‘No, I’m going to stop now’… It was a hard decision,” reflected Biden.

Remarking on where the world seems to be headed at another point in the interview, Biden shared, “Instead of democracy expanding around the world, [it’s] receding. Democracy — every generation has to fight for it.”

When asked whether he thinks Trump is behaving more like a monarch than a “constitutionally limited president,” Biden carefully worded his response. He simply stated that his successor is not behaving like a Republican president.

However, he also mentioned that he is less worried about the future of the country’s democracy as the “Republican Party is waking up to what Trump is about.”

At a different moment during the discussion, Biden shared reflections on the war between Russia and Ukraine. Notably, his approach to dealing with the tension stands in sharp contrast to that of Trump’s. Reportedly, Trump has told Ukraine that it needs to consider giving up territory should it want the war to end.

Biden has since dismissed Trump’s approach as “modern day appeasement,” sharply warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin “believes he has historical rights to Ukraine,” and anyone who assumes he’ll stop there is “just foolish.”

The former president defended his administration’s support of Ukraine, rejecting accusations that he held back out of fear. “We gave them [Ukraine] everything they needed to provide for their independence. And we were prepared to respond more aggressively if in fact [sic] Putin moved again,” he asserted.

Biden also said he had to weigh the very real possibility of nuclear escalation — “This is not a game or roulette,” he warned — and believed he made the necessary calls to avoid World War III.

Even though he had admitted to worrying less about the future of U.S. democracy earlier on in the interview, toward the end of his reflections, Biden didn’t downplay the stakes. “Every generation has to fight to maintain democracy, every one [sic]. Everyone’s going to be challenged,” he remarked.

Holding onto the legacy of leaders like Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose portrait once hung in the Oval Office during his term, Joe Biden seemed to carry the weight of history in every word.

“We’ve done it well for the last 80 years,” he concluded. “And I’m worried there’s the loss of understanding of the consequences of that.”

The former U.S. president’s BBC interview comes after he broke his post-presidency silence with a speech that stirred emotion and reflection. His words prompted a non-verbal reaction from Trump.

Speaking at a national conference of Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) in Chicago, Biden shared personal childhood memories marked by segregation and injustice.

Though he never named names, the subtext was clear. The past, and its unresolved echoes, remain central to his vision for the future. Biden recalled growing up in Delaware, where racial inequality shaped his earliest lessons.

“I remember pulling into the parking lot. I had never seen hardly [sic] any Black people,” he said, describing a moment in fourth grade when he saw a bus filled with “colored kids” drive past Claymont High School.

Curious, he asked his mother why those kids weren’t going to his school. Her answer opened his eyes to segregation. “That sparked my outrage,” Biden admitted. He used the moment to draw a line between personal memory and public policy.

Speaking to children at the event, he said, “These young kids right here can tell you things affect them when they learn about something that’s really just unfair and unjust.”

Biden shifted from policy to principle, sharing wisdom from his father. “Joe, a job’s a lot more than a paycheck. It’s about your dignity,” he recalled his father’s words. “It’s about being able to look your kid in the eye and say, ‘Honey, it’s going to be okay.’ And mean it.”

Though he never mentioned Trump, Biden made his message clear: Dignity, fairness, and inclusion should guide legislation. “Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity,” Biden noted, emphasizing that over 60 million Americans rely on that principle being upheld.

The former president didn’t hold back. His tone sharpened as he addressed economic pressures and political resistance. “I won’t go further. I’ll get into trouble,” he said, with a knowing pause. Then, he pressed on and criticized Congress for what he called a failure to protect vulnerable Americans.

“Every five years, Congress steps up,” Biden shared. “Can you imagine this Congress stepping up?” His voice rose with frustration. He pointed to threats to raise the retirement age — a change he said might not matter to those with desk jobs, but one that would hit hard for workers on their feet, doing manual labor, or living with disabilities.

He warned against attempts to cut Social Security, calling out lawmakers for considering such moves during debt ceiling negotiations. Without naming names, Biden said, “Last time this guy had the job, he raised the debt because of an enormous and profligate tax cut to the super wealthy.”

He claimed that same figure then floated the idea of targeting Social Security. “Not on my watch,” Biden declared. “We refuse to go along with any of that.”

The crowd responded warmly. But it wasn’t just the audience in the room that paid attention. Hours later, Trump responded — but not with words. On his Truth Social account, he reposted a clip from Biden’s speech where the former president was speaking about racial segregation. No caption. No comment. Just the video.

Meanwhile, Biden’s speech sparked a wave of commentary from the public, with some expressing surprise. One comment simply read, “WoW [sic],” a reaction that echoed the unexpected nature of the moment.

Many saw more than just a political speech; they witnessed a return. “FINALLY A SPEECH WIITH SOME MEANINGFUL CONNTENT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE [sic],” one commenter expressed. Others welcomed Biden’s reappearance. “It’s good to see sir again,” praised one person. “Glad you are back. Keep speaking out,” added another.

Some commended his tone and clarity, “Wonderful job.” A fellow spectator echoed, “He is speaking coherently and seriously.” A third person chimed in with, “He seems very coherent.” There was even a personal note in some of the replies, with one person observing, “You look good Mr. [sic] President. Hope you are doing well.”

In his speech, Biden described Social Security as a “sacred promise,” one that must be defended, not dismantled. He also took the opportunity to highlight his administration’s past efforts to root out fraud within the system.

Then, with a wry tone, he turned to claims made during the Trump era, specifically those championed by Elon Musk. Biden referenced the widely criticized allegation that the Social Security rolls included people of impossibly advanced age.

“By the way, those 300-year-old folk [sic] getting that Social Security, I want to meet them,” Biden joked, drawing laughter from the crowd.

In addition to Trump, Biden’s speech also caught the attention of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. She made headlines with her blunt response to his first public address, sparking backlash and stirring debate over political decorum among netizens.

In her statement, Leavitt remarked, “My first reaction when seeing former President Biden was speaking tonight was, I’m shocked that he is speaking at nighttime. I thought his bedtime was much earlier than his speech tonight.”

The 27-year-old further stated, “I understand the topic of his speech will be Social Security. Let me make it very clear ahead of former President Biden’s remarks — President Trump is absolutely certain about protecting Social Security benefits for law-abiding, tax-paying American citizens and seniors who have paid into this program.”

“He will always protect this program. He campaigned on it. He protected it in his first term, and he’s back again to continue protecting it,” concluded Leavitt, who happens to be the youngest White House Press Secretary to date.

The first part of Leavitt’s statement — a jab at Biden’s age and energy — sparked widespread backlash across social media platforms, with many calling her words disrespectful and unprofessional.

On Facebook, several people condemned her tone. One person wrote, “Very rude. She’s talking about a former US President. He deserves at least respect!”

Another commented, “Ok, so, although I do usually like her blunt nature, however, this was immature and disrespectful. I did not care for President Biden, but he was still our President, and he is still a person [sic].”

One netizen said, “Inappropriate.” Another commenter added, “So juvenile, disrespectful, and classless.” One more person commented, “That is just so wrong to say, didn’t need! But I am not surprised from you [sic]!”

On Instagram, reactions were equally strong. One person wrote, “She does a great job, but don’t think her comments are appropriate. Should be above that [sic].”

Another added, “Karoline, you crossed the line!” A fellow netizen opined, “So unnecessary for a person in her position to speak like this.”

The backdrop to Biden’s speech includes recent and controversial moves by the Trump administration affecting the Social Security Administration (SSA). Upon returning to office, President Trump initiated government workforce cuts, which included plans to lay off 7,000 SSA employees.

Additional policy changes have resulted in tighter identity-verification requirements and a data-sharing initiative involving the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by adviser Musk.

Musk, who has described Social Security as “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time,” has drawn attention to the administration’s efforts to streamline operations.

However, some of these actions have been met with legal challenges and growing public concern. A lawsuit was filed after the SSA granted Musk’s department access to individuals’ Social Security data.

Meanwhile, recipients have reported issues ranging from increased wait times on SSA’s helpline to incorrect notifications about benefit status. While the agency attributed some issues to system errors, concerns remain, especially among Supplemental Security Income recipients, including disabled individuals and low-income households.

Attorney Jason Turkish, who attended the ACRD event and represents one of the country’s largest disability law firms, said many of his 32,000 clients are anxious.

“We go from Republican to Democrat, Democrat to Republican and there’s always been a belief that Social Security is just something we do not touch,” he stated. Despite the turmoil, Turkish expressed cautious optimism. He noted that SSA officials had walked back certain identity verification requirements and acknowledged ongoing modernization efforts at the agency.

Biden’s return to the spotlight came three months after his farewell address on January 15, 2025. At the time, he spoke directly to the American people, expressing hope for the country’s future.

“And my eternal thanks to you, the American people. After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands, a nation where the strengths of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure,” he said.

In that same speech, Biden urged Americans to continue upholding democratic values, “Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops.”

As he concluded his term, he stated, “You know, it will take time to feel the full impact of all we’ve done together. But the seeds are planted, and they’ll grow and they’ll bloom for decades to come.”

Biden also voiced support for a peaceful transition, adding, “I wish the incoming administration success, because I want America to succeed. That’s why I’ve upheld my duty to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power to ensure we lead by the power of our example.”

Leavitt’s reaction to Biden’s return to the public stage sparked strong responses online and underscored the political tensions surrounding Social Security.

As debates continue over the program’s future, Biden’s appearance and Leavitt’s remarks reflect the broader national conversation on leadership, policy direction, and public accountability.