President Joe Biden admits Donald Trump 'bullseye' comment was a 'mistake'
President Joe Biden has said it was a "mistake" to say he wanted to put a "bullseye" on Donald Trump but argued the Republican nominee remains a threat to democratic institutions.
Biden made the remark during a call with Democratic donors last week to attempt to address concerns about his mental wellbeing.
He said he was "done" talking about his poor election debate performance and mentioned it was “time to put Trump in the bullseye,” as the former president's stances and rhetoric have not been scrutinised enough.
In an interview with NBC's Lester Holt, Biden said: “It was a mistake to use the word (bullseye).
“I meant to focus on him. Focus on what he’s doing. Focus on his policies, focus on the number of lies he told at the debate."
He added that he was "not the guy who said I wanted to be a dictator on day one".
Biden emphasised that it is Trump, not him, who uses such rhetoric, pointing to Trump's past comments about a "bloodbath" if he loses in November.
He said: "Look, how do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real, when a president says things like he says? Do you just not say anything because it may incite somebody?”
The interview, scheduled before Thomas Crooks shot Trump in the ear on Saturday, was a part of Biden's strategy to dispel criticism that he was unfit to be president.
Biden affirmed that he would not step down in the presidential race.
Discussing his age, he said: "I'm old... I understand why people say, 'God, he’s 81 years old. Whoa. What's he going to be when he’s 83 years old, 84 years?' It’s a legitimate question to ask."
Biden became defensive when asked by Holt if he was eager to "get back on the horse” by participating in another debate against Trump, he replied "I’m on the horse. Where have you been," before saying he does not "plan" on having another debate performance "on that level".
He said that Trump's new vice-presidential pick, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, had signed onto the "Trump agenda".
The president's campaign attacked Vance after he was selected at the Republican National Convention, saying he would “bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda".
Biden's interview comes after Donald Trump appeared with a bandage over his right ear at the Republican Convention just two days after surviving an attempted assassination.
Trump, accompanied by a wall of Secret Service agents on Monday, did not address the crowd but smiled silently, and mouthed "thank you".
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