Following President Joe Biden’s shaky performance in the recent CNN presidential debate, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has voiced concerns over the potential implications for U.S. national security. Speaking to The Daily Wire’s Cabot Phillips, Burgum stressed that Biden’s debate struggles could be perceived as a sign of weakness by international adversaries.
Burgum pointed out that leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Ayatollahs, and China’s Xi Jinping were likely observing the debate. He warned that Biden’s inability to articulate clear and coherent answers could undermine the United States’ position on the global stage.
“Even more concerning, we know who else is watching this debate tonight … Putin was watching, the Ayatollahs were watching, Xi was watching in China,” Burgum said. “And I feel like this is a national security risk for our country. Because what the world saw was weakness from our leader in the White House, the guy who’s making the decisions. … We’re in a real danger period for now between now and November.”
Burgum also highlighted the domestic ramifications of Biden’s performance. He noted that Americans dealing with economic hardship and security concerns might feel neglected by the president’s inability to address major issues effectively.
“If you’re a working family that today is suffering from high interest rates, from inflation, from the open border and its effect on your public safety, all of those folks that are looking for an answer tonight did not get one from Joe Biden,” Burgum commented. “And again, that’s Democrats, Independents, Republicans, if they came looking for an answer, they didn’t find it.”
The governor also remarked on the rising panic within the Democratic Party regarding Biden’s candidacy. He suggested that the responsibility for Biden’s potential withdrawal lies with Democratic leaders but acknowledged the internal turmoil within the party.
“Democrats are going to have to make that decision. They created this situation four years ago and they created this decision with their VP pick. If they had a great VP, I don’t think the headlines would [read] panic,” Burgum added.
He also predicted that Trump’s strong debate performance could increase his support. “President Trump is in such a strong position right now, heading to a rally in Virginia tomorrow,” Burgum noted. “You can expect tonight after this performance, people coming off the sidelines in terms of financial support for President Trump. You’re going to see people who were undecided moving into his camp.”
