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Major Democratic lawmakers are pushing back on claims by Former President Donald Trump that Democrats staged a “coup” by replacing Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris as the 2024 Democratic nominee.
What’s the deal: Former President Trump and some Republicans are promoting the claim that President Biden was forced out of the 2024 race by powerful Democrats, calling it a “coup.” Trump argues this swap was unconstitutional, labeling the move to replace Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris as an illegitimate power grab. At a campaign event yesterday, Trump stated, “It was a coup by people that wanted him out and they didn’t do the way, not the way they’re supposed to do it.”
What Democrats are saying: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, accused of forcing Biden out of the race, responded to reports of his frustration with her. In a statement yesterday, she said, “I have my relationship with the president, and I just wanted to win this election. So if they’re upset, I’m sorry for them. But the country is very happy … I don’t know who they are, but, you know, that’s their problem, not mine.”
In an interview with Fox News, Senator Chris Coons, said, “This was the president’s decision. He and he alone had to make that decision one way or the other.… The president looked at the polls, he listened to friends and colleagues and he made the decision to step aside. Two weeks before President Biden gave his inaugural speech, an angry mob stormed the Capitol — I was there — in an attempt at stopping the peaceful transition of power. That was the one attempted coup that happened in my lifetime was January 6.”
Digging Deeper: This comes as reports from both sides of the political spectrum suggest President Trump is frustrated by Biden’s decision to step down from the 2024 race, believing Biden was an easier opponent than Vice President Kamala Harris. However, Trump has publicly stated he considers Harris easier to defeat than Biden.