US President Joe Biden has been accused of cranking up racial tensions in the US by claiming that white supremacy is the “most dangerous terrorist threat” in America. One political commentator even called his comments during a speech at Howard University, a historical black college in Washington DC, “completely bonkers” while critics took to social media in their thousands to chastise the 80-year-old’s statement.
Biden was addressing graduates at the Capital One Arena on Saturday (May 13), talking to them about the threats they face from division within their own country. He said that the battle between "the best of us and the worst of us" is still ongoing but that on our best days, enough people have "the guts and hearts to stand up for what's right."
During his address, Biden also criticized Tennessee House Republicans for efforts to expel three Democratic state lawmakers over a gun-reform protest on the House floor as well as conservative-led book bans against books discussing gender, sexual orientation, and race.
The FBI has stated that "racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists," particularly those advocating for white superiority, pose one of America's greatest domestic threats. In line with this assessment, The Southern Poverty Law Center reported tracking 52 hate groups in Texas alone last year.
However, Republican leaders argue that focusing too much on racial injustice can be harmful. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and others denounced critical race theory and critiqued institutions promoting diversity initiatives such as equity and inclusion policies.
While President Biden has long opposed racism in American society throughout his career; recent weeks have seen him lean into rhetoric aimed at reinforcing support among Black voters—an approach which has not gone unnoticed by prominent Republicans like Gov. DeSantis who claim it exacerbates existing divisions across party lines.
In response to these remarks made during graduation ceremonies held at historically black university Howard University, the Republican National Committee took to Twitter and shared a video titled "Joe Biden's Racism Problem," highlighting various gaffes made by the President in past discussions concerning race.