Ahead of Tuesday’s debate, Joe Biden’s campaign has refused President Trump’s invitation for both candidates to take a drug test, prompting Trump to comment “Gee, I wonder why?”
Joe Biden just announced that he will not agree to a Drug Test. Gee, I wonder why?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 28, 2020
Trump had repeatedly suggested that Biden uses performance enhancing drugs just to stay awake, announcing Sunday that he will be strongly suggesting drug tests are taken:
I will be strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night. Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy???
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2020
President Trump on upcoming Presidential debate:
"Will I go on the attack? I have no idea, I have no idea how [Biden's] going to be. He's always different when he comes out because he's on a different medication."pic.twitter.com/ZhKTCfY7Uj
— Jennifer Franco (@jennfranconews) September 27, 2020
Trump reiterated Sunday that he is not joking, noting that he watched previous Democrat debates where Biden was clearly “out of it”.
“People say he was on performance-enhancing drugs; a lot of people have said that, a lot of people have written that,” Trump said.
When asked Sunday if he will take a test by a reporter, Biden refused to answer:
Joe Biden was asked whether he will take a drug test before the debate.
"No, I have no comment," he said. pic.twitter.com/jHX5qfESR2
— Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 (@TrumpWarRoom) September 27, 2020
Biden’s campaign denounced Trump’s “attempts to make up a drug test policy for the upcoming presidential debate”.
Deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement that Biden “intends to deliver his debate answers in words. If the president thinks his best case is made in urine he can have at it.”
Bedingfield also accused Trump of “piss[ing] away the chance to protect the lives of 200K Americans when he didn’t make a plan to stop Covid-19.”