Biden Unleashes Fiery Attack on Trump and Musk: ‘Who in Hell Do They Think They Are?’

Former President Joe Biden isn’t going quietly into retirement. The 82-year-old came out swinging in his first public appearance since leaving the White House, delivering a fiery speech that targeted both Donald Trump and Elon Musk with surprising intensity.

Speaking at the Advocates, Counsellors, and Representatives for the Disabled conference in Chicago on Tuesday evening, Biden didn’t mince words about what he sees as a direct assault on Social Security by powerful figures in tech and politics.

“Who In The Hell Do They Think They Are?”

The former president didn’t hold back, addressing the audience with a level of emotion rarely seen during his presidential term. “Who in the hell do they think they are?” Biden asked forcefully, directing his frustration at Trump, Republicans, and DOGE for what he described as deliberately destabilizing Social Security.

Though Biden carefully avoided mentioning Trump or Musk by name, the targets of his criticism were unmistakable as he accused them of creating “needless pain and sleepless nights” for average Americans.

“Move Fast, Break Things” Mentality Under Fire

Biden drew a direct connection between tech industry disruption tactics and current attacks on social safety nets. “Why are these guys taking aim at Social Security now?” the former president demanded. “They’re following that old line from tech startups – the quote is ‘move fast, break things.’ They’re shooting first and aiming later.”

The reference to Silicon Valley’s infamous mantra appeared to be a thinly veiled shot at Musk, whose aggressive management style at Twitter (now X) and other companies has frequently made headlines.

“They Want To Wreck It So They Can Rob It”

One of the most powerful moments came when Biden quoted Martin O’Malley, who served as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration during his presidency. “My friend Gov. O’Malley knows what they’re really up to, he says, and I love this quote – they want to wreck it so they can rob it,” Biden declared.

The former president didn’t stop there, connecting the dots for his audience: “Why do they want to rob it? To deliver huge tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations and keep it going.”

This economic critique has been a cornerstone of Biden’s political messaging throughout his career, particularly during his one-term presidency when he frequently positioned himself as a champion of working-class Americans against wealthy interests.

O’Malley’s Blistering Introduction

Before Biden took the stage, O’Malley set the tone with his own scorching remarks, explicitly calling out Trump and Musk by name. The former Maryland governor accused the pair of having “gutted the Social Security Administration with a chainsaw,” resulting in what he described as the “largest exodus of staff the agency has ever suffered.”

O’Malley also took aim at immigration-related claims, labeling as a “big lie” the assertion that undocumented immigrants were “sucking Social Security dry.” He pointedly reminded the audience that current law already prohibits undocumented immigrants from receiving Social Security benefits.

Biden’s Post-Presidential Voice Emerges

Political analysts have been watching closely to see what role Biden would carve out for himself after departing the White House. This speech appears to answer that question, positioning the former president as a vocal critic of policies he views as harmful to vulnerable Americans.

The choice to make his first post-presidential appearance at a disability advocacy conference underscores Biden’s continued focus on healthcare and social services, issues that have been central to his political identity throughout his five-decade career in public service.

At 82, Biden showed he still has the fire and passion to engage in political battles, particularly when it comes to protecting programs he views as essential to American society. Whether this marks the beginning of a more active role in political discourse remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Joe Biden isn’t going away quietly.

As the 2024 political landscape continues to evolve, the former president’s willingness to directly challenge powerful figures like Trump and Musk suggests he intends to remain a significant voice in national conversations about economic policy and social welfare.