Biden says US democracy in danger if 'extremist' Trump returns to power

US President Joe Biden on Thursday (Sep 28) launched a personal attack on "extremist" Donald Trump, indicating that the Republican who could be his 2024 challenger, would challenge the country's constitution if he comes back to power next year.

Speaking in the battleground state of Arizona, the Democrat said that Trump was driven by "vengeance and vindictiveness", and he appealed to Americans to take a stand for the country's democracy before it is too late.

Biden delivered the speech as impeachment inquiry hearings were launched by House Republicans into the 80-year-old president on the basis of unproven allegations that he lied about the business dealings of his son Hunter Biden.

"We should all remember: democracies don't have to die at the end of a rifle. They can die when people are silent, when they fail to stand up, or condemn threats to democracy,” Biden stated.

Biden has tried to avoid commenting on the cases which stemmed from efforts of Trump to overturn his 2020 election loss and led to an attack on the US Capitol by a mob of his supporters on January 6, 2021.

However, in Arizona, he took an unusual step of addressing Trump by name, as he accused the former president and his followers of attacking the rule of law and the free press and planning to gut the country's institutions if he gets a second term.

'Something dangerous happening in America'

"Trump says the constitution gave him 'the right to do what he wants'," stated Biden, while referring to the statements made by Trump regarding his powers in office.

"I've never even heard a president say that in jest -- not guided by the constitution or by common service and decency towards our fellow Americans, but by vengeance and vindictiveness,” he added.

Issuing a dark warning, Biden stated there was "something dangerous happening in America" and that the Republican Party was "driven and intimidated" by Trump's MAGA (Make America Great Again) fringe.

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He slammed the Republicans for not speaking up after the country's top military officer was recently accused of treason by Trump, and slammed the hardline Trump allies for pushing the country in the direction of a government shutdown this weekend.

The president further recalled how Trump had reportedly called to service members killed or captured in action as "suckers and losers".

"Was he [Beau Biden, the late son of Biden who served in military] a sucker for volunteering to serve his country?" asked the president.

(With inputs from agencies)

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