Former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich was criticized after claiming that First Lady Dr. Jill Biden shouldn't "take taxpayer money" to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris now that her husband, President Joe Biden, has dropped out of the race for reelection.
On Sunday, Biden announced he would drop out of the presidential race and readily endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. At 81, Biden faced increasing concerns within his party about his age and capacity to serve another term, along with fears of a potential loss to former President Donald Trump—who is 78—in November.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for July 26, during which time the First Lady will host a fundraiser. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will lead the delegation to the closing ceremony on August 11, according to a statement from the White House.
But Gingrich made it clear he believes her appearance is inappropriate, making the following statements during a Fox News appearance:
“Jill really needs to cancel her trip to Paris. There is no reason for her to take taxpayer money and go spend what will probably be several million dollars going to Paris now that her husband is no longer a candidate. And in my judgment he should no longer be president.”
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Whether Gingrich likes it or not, Biden is still very much the President and Dr. Jill Biden is still the First Lady.
People were quick to call him out.
The announcement the First Lady would head to Paris came amid concerns about the viability of her husband's campaign following his underwhelming performance in last month's presidential debate.
As the president’s closest adviser and staunchest defender, she wields significant influence in both the White House and the campaign. She has been an active surrogate on the campaign trail, traveling across the country to bolster his support.
Morning Consult has released one of the first polls since Biden ended his re-election bid, showing Harris with more support in her matchup against Trump than Biden had.
Although Trump still leads, his advantage is now smaller. The survey, conducted after Biden's withdrawal, found Trump with 47% support compared to Harris's 45%, a mere two-point gap. Previously, Biden trailed Trump by six percentage points.
Harris’s candidacy appears to have energized Democrats, with 27% stating they are “much more motivated” to engage in the political process, compared to 24% of Republicans. Morning Consult notes that this three-point gap mirrors the enthusiasm gap seen in the 2020 election.
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