Let’s be honest, you clicked this article because you want to feel better about yourself. You’re thinking, “Phew, at least I don’t say such ridiculous things like the President and Vice President.” Well, sorry to disappoint, but we’re all prone to the occasional verbal faux pas. However, when your job is being on camera 24/7, your gaffes get broadcast to the whole world. Both Biden and Trump have had their fair share of cringeworthy moments. But the question is – who takes the cake for most gaffe-tastic? Read on, and we’ll compare some of their greatest hits – or rather, misses. Just try not to feel too superior, because one day your blunders could end up on YouTube too.
Defining What Constitutes a “Gaffe” for Politicians
When it comes to political gaffes, context is king. What qualifies as a cringeworthy slip-up for one politician may be water off a duck’s back for another. For Biden and Trump, the gaffe bar seems to be set at polar opposites.
For Biden, even the slightest verbal stumble is a “gaffe”
Poor Biden can’t seem to open his mouth without sticking his foot in it, at least according to his critics. If he mispronounces a word, stutters, or—heaven forbid—uses a folksy idiom, the gaffe police are all over him like a bad rash. His opponents then squeeze every ounce of political juice out of these “gaffes” to portray him as doddering and incompetent.
For Trump, only the most outrageous statements count
The Donald, on the other hand, has redefined the modern political gaffe. Only comments that would make even the most shameless politician blush—racist remarks, bald-faced lies, or blatant self-contradictions within the same sentence—seem to register on the Trump gaffe scale. His supporters dismiss these gaffes as “just telling it like it is,” while his critics are left sputtering in disbelief at each new outrageous statement.
At the end of the day, what counts as a gaffe comes down to a mixture of context, intent, and the eye of the beholder. For Biden and Trump, their respective partisan supporters seem to have a high tolerance for gaffes of their chosen candidate, yet an extremely low one for the opposition. The moral of the story? In politics, hypocrisy abounds and double standards are par for the course.
Joe Biden’s Biggest Gaffes and Blunders
If there’s one thing Joe Biden is known for, it’s putting his foot in his mouth. Over his decades-long political career, the former VP has racked up a treasure trove of cringeworthy gaffes and blunders that leave you wondering how this guy ended up a heartbeat away from the presidency.
Remember when Biden mixed up Mexico and Egypt during a hostage situation address? Or when he appeared to confuse Macron with deceased French president Mitterrand? How about when he forgot the word ‘Hamas’ during a critical speech, opting instead for ‘thingamabob’? The list goes on, people.
Foreign Policy Faux Pas
When it comes to international affairs, Biden is a gaffe-generating machine. From insulting entire nations to botching the names of foreign leaders, Biden has turned embarrassing the U.S. on the global stage into an art form. During a visit to India, he asked a group of entrepreneurs if they knew a certain Indian poem before realizing they were Indian. Smooth, Joe, real smooth.
Biden also has a habit of putting his foot in his mouth with cultural insensitivities and racist remarks. Like when he said “you cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.” Yikes. For a guy who touts his foreign policy experience, Biden sure has a knack for offending key allies and trading partners.
With a rap sheet of cringey comments as long as Biden’s, you have to wonder why the Democratic party continues to prop up this walking embarrassment as a leader. Still, you have to admit Biden’s gaffes are entertaining to watch, even if they make you want to crawl into a hole and die of secondhand embarrassment. I guess that’s the price of political comedy in the Biden era.
Donald Trump’s Most Controversial Statements
Whether by design or just a complete lack of filter between his brain and mouth, Donald Trump has a knack for stirring up controversy. His presidency has been marked by head-scratching statements that make you wonder if he even has a PR team. Or if he just ignores them completely.
Walls, Immigrants and “Shithole Countries”
In a totally not racist way, Trump proposed building a wall between the US and Mexico to keep out “bad hombres.” He then moved on to calling African nations “shithole countries” and wondering why we don’t get more immigrants from Norway. Because all immigrants from predominantly black countries are bad, amirite?
Grab ‘Em by the What Now?
Trump’s views on women are…colorful, to say the least. He claimed he could just “grab ’em by the pussy” because when you’re famous, they let you do it. I don’t know what’s worse here – the implication that sexual assault is fine if you’re famous, or that he thought a hot mic wouldn’t pick that up. Pro tip, Donny: it will always pick it up.
Science is Hard, Y’all
Trump has some interesting ideas about science. Climate change is a “Chinese hoax.” Windmill noise causes cancer (it doesn’t). If we nuke hurricanes they’ll disappear (please don’t try this at home). At this point, we should be grateful he hasn’t suggested nuking the sun to stop global warming. Yet.
The list goes on, but you get the idea. Four years of President Trump gave us a seemingly endless supply of “WTF did he just say?!” moments. His complete disregard for facts and civility in favor of ratings and riling up his base has been a hallmark of his time in office. Future generations will study his rhetoric as a prime example of how not to lead or persuade people.
Comparing the Rate and Impact of Gaffes Between Biden and Trump
Brendan Smialowski and Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Biden: The King of Cringe
Good ol’ Joe just can’t seem to keep his foot out of his mouth. During his decades-long political career, Biden has racked up so many verbal blunders you could fill an entire cringe compilation on YouTube (and people have). From reminiscing about little kids rubbing his leg hair, to telling voters “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black”, Biden’s gaffes have spanned the spectrum from merely awkward to legitimately concerning.
While Uncle Joe’s gaffes often prompt eyerolls and embarrassed face-palms from supporters, critics argue they point to deeper issues around his age and mental faculties. At 78, Biden would be the oldest President in history, and his frequent flubs on the campaign trail have led some to question whether he’s still all there upstairs. However, experts caution against diagnosing cognitive decline from a few verbal stumbles. For now, we’ll chalk most of them up to Biden just being Biden.
Trump: Gaffes, Lies and Alternative Facts
The Donald isn’t exactly known for his eloquence or precision with words either. From “covfefe” to nuking hurricanes, Trump’s presidency has been filled with head-scratching gaffes, outright falsehoods, and bizarre statements that make you question his tenuous grasp on reality. While Trump’s verbal stumbles are more far-fetched than forgetful, both candidates’ gaffes have led to questions about their mental and cognitive fitness to lead.
Unlike affable Uncle Joe though, Trump’s gaffes and falsehoods are more likely to prompt outrage than eye rolls. Fact-checkers have documented over 20,000 false or misleading claims from Trump during his presidency, leading critics to argue his gaffes point to a more troubling penchant for dishonesty and spreading misinformation. At the end of the day though, does it really matter whether a gaffe was the result of forgetfulness, ignorance or dishonesty? When the stakes are this high, any comfort in chalking it up to “just being themselves” goes straight out the window.
Which Candidate Is More “Gaffe Prone”: Our Verdict on Biden vs Trump
So who wears the crown of “gaffe king” in this election? That’s a tough one. On the one hand, you’ve got Joe Biden, the “crazy uncle” of the Democratic party who’s been known to put his foot in his mouth from time to time. On the other hand, there’s Donald Trump, the Tweeter-in-Chief, who says whatever nonsense comes into his head and claims it was meant “sarcastically.” What’s a voter to do?
Uncle Joe and His Slips of the Tongue
Poor Biden has been lampooned for his verbal stumbles, like when he told voters in Iowa “choose truth over facts” or declared “we hold these truths to be self-evident: all men and women created by the go, you know the thing.” His detractors argue these are signs his mental capacity is slipping, giving Trump ammunition for attacks.
The Donald and His 3 am Twitter Rants
Trump, on the other hand, has proven adept at generating unforced errors in a never-ending stream of consciousness on Twitter and in front of cameras. From “hamberders” to “covfefe” to suggesting injecting disinfectant to cure COVID, Trump’s gaffes come so fast and furious it’s hard to keep up. And unlike Biden’s folksy fumbles, Trump’s gaffes often reveal a lack of knowledge or judgment that would be dangerous in the leader of the free world.
The Final Verdict
While Uncle Joe isn’t always the most articulate candidate, his gaffes tend to be relatively harmless. Trump, on the other hand, has shown a propensity for rash and reckless behavior that poses real threats. So all things considered, while both candidates may be gaffe-prone, the sheer scale, audacity and potential consequences of Trump’s unforced errors make him the undisputed “gaffe king” of this election cycle, for better or worse. The choice is yours, voters!
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. Two of the most powerful men on Earth, each with a penchant for sticking their expensive leather loafers directly into their mouths. Maybe that’s just the price of power—the more authority you have, the more likely you are to let slip what’s really rattling around in that big brain of yours. Or maybe it’s the curse of old age, when the filter between your thoughts and words starts to weaken. Either way, we can rest assured that as long as these two are in office, we’ll never be at a loss for entertainment. All we can do is sit back, pop some popcorn, and wait for the next cringeworthy soundbite. The only question is—who’s going to deliver it?