U.S. President Joe Biden criticized certain news outlets, stating they spread “lies told for profit and power aimed at inciting hate.” This may signal one of the main themes of his campaign for the 2024 presidential election, with his remarks accompanied by humorous comments about Fox News. Biden spoke yesterday at the annual dinner for the White House Correspondents' Association, asserting that “the truth is buried under lies.” He added that “conspiracy and hate lies have been repeated to create a cycle of anger, hate, and even violence,” seemingly referencing conspiracy theories claiming that his victory in the 2020 election was a result of widespread fraud.
He believed this cycle encouraged local authorities to “ban books, undermine the rule of law, and strip us of our rights and freedoms,” focusing on what he described as “extreme journalism,” jokingly saying that if he described Fox News as “truthful and honest and telling the truth,” he might face a defamation lawsuit.
Earlier this month, Fox Corp agreed to pay $787.5 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems centered around Fox News’ allegations of election manipulation in favor of Biden during the 2020 presidential election.
In a hint towards former President Donald Trump, Biden jokingly told attendees that comedian Roy Wood Jr. – who also spoke at the dinner – offered him ten dollars not to extend his speech, adding, “That’s a reverse position; the president is the one being offered money to be quiet.”
On April 4, Trump was charged with 34 criminal counts related to a payment of $130,000 to silence a pornographic film actress during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
