Trump says Obama is ‘spitting in face’ of Americans
Donald Trump has accused Barack Obama of “spitting in the face” of Americans amid reports that the latter former US president has been making secret calls to the White House.
Joe Biden frequently speaks with Mr Obama, whom he served under as vice-president, to discuss the state of the presidential race.
In turn, Mr Obama has been regularly calling Jeff Zients, Mr Biden’s chief of staff, and White House aides to strategise for the forthcoming election, The New York Times has reported.
One senior adviser told the newspaper that Mr Obama has “always” been worried that his former running mate could lose to Mr Trump, the presumed Republican presidential candidate.
Polling shows that Mr Biden is lagging a couple of points behind his rival nationally – and by wider margins in several swing states that will likely decide the election.
It has previously been reported that Mr Obama warned Mr Biden twice last year in meetings at the White House that Mr Trump could beat him in November.
Believing that the US President was overdependent on a small group of advisers and that his campaign was failing to shift into gear, Mr Obama apparently urged him to act more aggressively and turn the election into a referendum on Mr Trump.
The two men will join Bill Clinton, another former president, at a major fundraiser for the Biden campaign at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on Thursday.
Mr Biden wrote on social media that they would discuss “what’s on the ballot in this election and how we will defeat Trump again”.
US media reports that a photo with the trio will cost $100,000 (£79,100), while donors will have to shell out at least $250,000 to attend a reception with them.
One veteran Democratic fundraiser claimed that it will be the “largest fundraising event in Democratic history”.
Mr Trump has used the gathering, which brings together three of the four living Democratic presidents – all of whom he has attacked at points in his career – to galvanise his own fundraising efforts.
“DON’T LET OBAMA SPIT IN YOUR FACE!” he said in a text message to registered supporters. Apparently referencing the Democratic event on Thursday, he continued: “Tomorrow they aim to HUMILIATE us. It’s bad.”
In a separate message, he hit out at the “Obama-Clinton cartel” and claimed that the Democrats hope the fundraiser will be the “biggest victory” of their campaign.
In response, the Republican called on “one million pro-Trump patriots” to donate to his election war chest.
Mr Biden has had a strong start to the year in raising funds for the election battle, while his opponent is bogged down in court cases and legal fees.
The president’s campaign had $97.5 million cash on hand at the end of February – more than double that of Mr Trump.
However, commentators point out that Hillary Clinton lost to Mr Trump in the 2016 presidential race despite outspending him two to one.
