Now Trump's campaign compares Biden to Captain America and says he'll be 'filled with Adderall' for the debate but won't reveal if Melania will accompany the former president
- Trump and his allies have said without evidence Biden will be on stimulants
- Trump will announce any family guests on Thursday
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign continues to double down on accusations President Biden will be hepped up on stimulants during Thursday’s debate, as they try to raise expectations by comparing him to a superhero.
‘He’s probably going to filled with Adderall like he is the night of the State of the Union. It’ll provide a great contrast,’ said Trump campaign senior advisor Chris LaCivita on a call with reporters, without providing evidence.
‘We know that Joe Biden that after taking an entire week off, he's going to be ready for this now. I don't know if it's quite going to be at the level of Steve Rogers walking in and coming out Captain America. But his team is going to have him ready,’ said senior advisor Jason Miller.
Those comments come after Trump at a campaign rally suggested Biden might be using stimulants to get 'jacked up' for the debate, and questioned what happened to cocaine discovered at a White House entrance.
'So, a little before debate time, he gets a shot in the a** – they want to strengthen him up so he comes out, he'll come out, okay, I say he'll come out all jacked up, right? All jacked up,' Trump said at a Philadelphia campaign rally Saturday.
Former President Donald Trump has been talking up President Biden's abilities after previously mocking him as the two prepare to face off in a Thursday night debate
Miller complained on the call about ‘expectations setting in the media, saying Biden shouldn’t get a ‘participation trophy’ for showing up.
But it is Trump who spent months arguing Biden ‘can’t put two sentences together' – prompting questions about whether Trump and his allies are seeking to reset expectations in the event Biden is more coherent than they have led millions of viewers to expect he will be.
It comes in a race where the president and former president set to meet on stage are tied in a new New York Times polling average.
Miller dug up old headlines from Biden's prior debates against former House Speaker Paul Ryan and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as Barack Obama's running mate, with one calling it an 'Alpha male' display and another citing a poll that determined he won.
One question the campaign wasn’t able to answer was whether former first lady Melania or other Trump family members would be with the candidate in Atlanta. ‘I would expect we probably make our announcement at the debate,’ said Miller.
The Trump campaign continues to talk up President Biden's State of the Union performance
Trump has made a splash in the past by bringing high profile guests that might rattle his opponent. That has included Bill Clinton rape accusers in 2016, and a former Hunter Biden business partner in 2020.
Asked if Trump would bring family members of Americans killed by immigrants who came here illegally, Trump's team said the debate format without an audience wouldn't allow for that, although his advisors liked the idea.
They wouldn't answer directly when asked if family members would make an appearance in the 'spin room' for media after the debate.
'I would expect that we probably make our announcements for who all will be joining President Trump at the debate probably Thursday, if not before,' said Miller.
