Special Poll
President Joe Biden admitted Tuesday that he made a “stupid” mistake by not putting his name on pandemic relief checks in 2021, noting that Donald Trump had done so in 2020 and likely gained credit for the financial aid through this straightforward and effective branding move.
Biden shared this reflection during a speech at the Brookings Institution, where he defended his economic record and challenged Trump to continue Democratic policy initiatives when he assumes the presidency next month. As Biden looked back on his term, he emphasized the importance of sustaining the progress made under Democratic policies while urging Trump to avoid reverting to the approaches of his allies.
While presenting recent positive economic data, Biden acknowledged a rare public regret—that he hadn’t been more proactive in promoting his administration’s role in delivering financial support during the pandemic recovery. “I signed the American Rescue Plan, the most significant economic recovery package in our history, and I also learned something from Donald Trump,” Biden said at the Washington think tank. “He signed checks for people for $7,400 … and I didn’t. Stupid.”