Trump Challenges Biden To Pre-Debate Drug Test, Says He’d Take One Too

Donald Trump, the former President, has urged President Joe Biden to undergo a drug test before the upcoming presidential debate on Thursday. Trump has stated that he is willing to take the test himself.

“DRUG TEST FOR CROOKED JOE BIDEN??? I WOULD, ALSO, IMMEDIATELY AGREE TO ONE!!!” Trump posted on his Truth Social website.

In two additional posts on Truth Social, Trump expressed admiration for Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), who recently sent a letter to the president and his doctor, requesting that he undergo drug tests immediately before and after the debate.

“Ronny Jackson was a brilliant Doctor, Admiral and now, a GREAT Congressman,” the presumptive GOP nominee wrote in one post. “He happens to be totally right about what is written in this MUST READ Article but, unfortunately, nothing will be done about it!”

The Hill reported: “Trump and Biden will square off Thursday night in a debate hosted by CNN, in what will be the first debate since the 2020 election. It will be just the two candidates on stage, after other White Hope hopefuls — including independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — did not meet the debate requirements. The debate is widely expected to be a pivotal moment for them as they try to secure votes in the final stretch of the race. Both Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, face concerns over their fitness for office, from issues related to their age and temperament.”

In the upcoming debate between Trump and Biden, the final say will belong to Trump after a coin flip determined the placement of podiums and the order of closing remarks. When the coin landed on Biden’s choice of “tails,” his campaign was given the option to select either the president’s podium position or the sequence of closing statements.

They opted for Biden to occupy the right side of TV screens, with his Republican opponent positioned on the left.

Subsequently, Trump’s team elected for the former president to deliver the last closing statement, meaning Biden will speak first at the conclusion of the debate.

This event marks a significant moment as it will be the first time a sitting president has debated against a presidential candidate.

In contrast to his recent legal troubles, where he was frustrated not to have the final word in court, Trump will now have that privilege in CNN’s debate.

Meanwhile, concerns are already being raised about how Biden will fare in this debate.

CNN political commentator Jamal Simmons suggested that Biden should adopt a more smiling demeanor when discussing this upcoming challenge and remarked on what he perceived as a lack of expressiveness from President Biden.

“For President Biden, one more piece of advice, because this is still a physical, visual medium, he‘s kind of got resting old face, right? So he needs to smile and when he smiles, it goes away a little bit. When he smiles, his face comes to life. I would just say, they‘re practicing this, practice smiling,” Simmons, who served as a communications director for Vice President Harris, said during CNN’s “State of the Union.”

CNN host Kaitlan Collins, political commentator Bakari Sellers, political commentator Alyssa Farah Griffin, and former Trump advisor David Urban deliberated on the potential outcomes of the June 27 debate.

Simmons mentioned he felt President Biden was not specific enough about his second term plans., adding, “I can‘t tell you exactly which policy to finish the agenda that they are really kind of basing this on.”

Sellers contended that Biden’s primary issue was his failure to express a clear vision for the future.

“And that actually is being captive in age, because it’s hard for someone 81 years old to articulate a vision for a future they may not be a part of. If he’s able to do that well, then we will see what happens,” Sellers said.

Urban proposed that Trump allow Biden to speak and advised him not to interrupt.

“I think if former President Trump were smart, he would just say to the crowd, ‘are you better off now than you were four years ago’ and then just let Joe Biden talk. Just let him talk. Don‘t try to overstep. Let him try to make his case, because he has a record to defend, of four years. So if I was Trump, that’s what I’d do here,” Urban said.

Griffin proposed that the lack of a live audience could work in Trump’s favor during the debate. Without a live audience, Trump might not feel compelled to adopt a “bombastic mindset.”

“I do worry for Biden on the energy. He got through the State of the Union, but that was a hometown crowd cheering for him. It’s right off of a teleprompter. This is quiet. Nobody is telling you you did a good job. No one is applauding for you and to keep the energy going for 90 minutes. It’s a lot,” Griffin said.

CNN’s Van Jones suggested the debate was make-or-break for Biden.

“Because if Biden goes out there and messes up, it’s game over. If he walks out there and a week later he’s lower in the polls, it’s panic in the party,” he said. “But if he goes in there and he can handle himself against Donald Trump — a runaway train, a locomotive, a raging bull — then this guy deserves another shot to be president, because that is tough.”