Joe Biden Trashes Donald Trump in First Interview Since Leaving White House

Former President Joe Biden accused current President Donald Trump of "modern-day appeasement" over his dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine, in his first interview since leaving the White House in January.

Why It Matters

Biden's first interview since leaving office marks a significant re-entry into the national conversation at a time when Trump, now back in the White House, is grappling with declining approval ratings and rising economic anxiety

What To Know

In his first interview since leaving office, Biden sharply criticized Trump's foreign policy approach, particularly his handling of the Russia-Ukraine war. Speaking to BBC News, Biden warned that Putin "can't stand the fact that the Soviet Union has collapsed" and urged Americans to listen closely to Putin's own statements about reclaiming Ukraine.

Since beginning his second term, Trump has dramatically reshaped U.S. policy toward the conflict, adopting a more conciliatory stance toward Moscow. In February 2025, Trump and Putin announced a reset in U.S.-Russia relations and launched bilateral peace talks in Saudi Arabia—excluding both Ukraine and European allies. The move drew swift condemnation from NATO leaders, who viewed it as a concession to Russian aggression.

Just weeks later, Trump had a public falling-out with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, resulting in the suspension of U.S. military aid to Kyiv. Trump has since pushed Zelensky to cede Crimea to Russia as part of a broader truce—something Biden forcefully rejected. "Anybody that thinks [Putin] is going to stop if you give him a little piece is just foolish," he said.

Biden also called the White House meeting, which included Vice President JD Vance, "beneath America," and took aim at Trump's broader foreign policy rhetoric. He cited Trump's past remarks about acquiring Panama and Greenland, renaming the Gulf of Mexico, and making Canada the 51st state. "What the hell's going on here? What president ever talks like that?" Biden said. "That's not who we are. We're about freedom, democracy, opportunity—not confiscation."

The former president also commented on accusations that Trump has gone beyond the limits of his power since his second term began.

Last month, Trump announced "Liberation Day" tariffs, which triggered a market crash before a partial recovery days later.

Trump enacted the tariffs using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1970s law that allows the president to regulate commerce during a national emergency. Legal scholars and lawmakers have argued the law was misapplied, and a coalition of a dozen states is suing the administration, asserting that only Congress can impose such tariffs.

Trump's broader attempts to consolidate power have also triggered a number of legal challenges. Since returning to office, his administration has fired thousands of federal workers in an effort to shrink the government, relying on the reimplementation of "Schedule F"—a controversial executive order Trump first introduced in 2020 to strip job protections from civil servants. Though Biden rescinded the order in 2021, Trump revived it on his first day back in office. Lawsuits argue the move violates constitutional principles, particularly the separation of powers, by sidelining Congress's authority over federal employment. Despite ongoing litigation, the mass layoffs continue.

Trump has also frequently clashed with judges who have ruled against his sweeping government overhauls, refusing to comply with a Supreme Court order to assist in the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, and demanding the removal of Judge James Boasberg after he issued a restraining order halting deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. Meanwhile, he has moved to penalize law firms that have participated in litigation against him.

He even referred to himself as "king" in a Truth Social post.

When asked whether Trump was acting more like a monarch than a constitutionally limited president, Biden replied, that he's "not behaving like a Republican president."

Biden, who has repeatedly warned that democracy is under threat globally, reiterated that sentiment, recalling his 2024 D-Day address where he said, "We're living in a time when democracy is more at risk across the world than at any point since the end of World War II."

Still, Biden said he's slightly more optimistic now, believing that "the Republican Party is waking up to what Trump is about."

But he expressed concern that Trump's actions could erode trust in American leadership abroad. "I fear our allies are going to begin to doubt whether we're going to stay where we've always been for the last 80 years," Biden warned. If U.S.-European relations were to collapse, he added, "it would change the modern history of the world."

What Happens Next

Trump is yet to respond to his predecessor's comments.