President Joe Biden reacted to Donald Trump’s mug shot as showing a ‘handsome guy’ while facing boos as he exited a pilates class during his vacation in Lake Tahoe.
“Handsome guy, wonderful guy,” Biden commented, laughing when asked about Trump’s recently released booking photo, which he saw on television.
While leaving the fitness center, the president was met with boos from the crowd, although a few supporters attempted to cheer louder to drown them out. Biden glanced at the hecklers but chose not to engage.
Biden was at Pelodog Pilates and Cycle Studio, where he had also exercised earlier in the week, when he paused to speak to the press.
He did not comment on a recent interview where former Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin accused both him and his son Hunter of accepting bribes and engineering his removal from office.
Hunter is also vacationing with his father in Lake Tahoe, despite being under special counsel investigation for his overseas business engagements as well as gun and tax violations.
Shokin, who was looking into corruption at Burisma Holdings where Hunter served on the board, commented in an interview clip, “I do not want to deal in unproven facts. But my firm personal conviction is that yes, this was the case. They were being bribed.”
“The fact that Joe Biden gave away $1 billion in U.S. money in exchange for my dismissal – my firing – isn’t that alone a case of corruption?” he says in another clip.
Biden is concluding his Lake Tahoe holiday at an expensive resort, accompanied by various family members including his daughter Ashley, granddaughter Finnegan, and grandson Hunter Jr.
The president is staying at the $18 million residence of billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, despite criticisms that the rental could violate local housing codes. First lady Jill Biden, Hunter’s wife Melissa Cohen, and their son Beau, as well as Naomi Biden and her spouse Peter Neal, are also part of the vacationing family.
Post-workout on Friday, Biden fielded questions about his Republican opponents and the recent surge in COVID cases. He criticized Wednesday’s GOP primary debate for its lack of substance, questioning, “I don’t remember them speaking to any of the issues. There was a lot of talk. But what are they going to do to deal with economic growth? What are they going to do to deal with the notion that maintaining the job pace that we have now? What are they going to do to deal with education?”
Most Americans believe the Biden economy is a disaster, according to polling. Only one-third of those surveyed by Gallup approve of his handling of economic issues.
Trump, who is leading the Republican nomination polls for 2024, was absent from the debate. He was recently arrested in Atlanta for allegedly conspiring to overturn Biden’s 2020 election win in Georgia. Trump argues that he was simply exercising his First Amendment rights.
Biden also revealed that additional COVID-19 booster shots could likely be recommended due to the rise in cases and new dominant XBB variants. “Tentatively, it is likely to be recommended that everybody get it,” he stated.
On Wednesday, Biden was joined by first lady Jill Biden and several family members for a workout session at the same fitness studio, where he enjoyed a banana blueberry smoothie post-exercise.
