Biden pushing back more aggressively against Trump with elections pledge – Washington Examiner

Former Vice President Joe Biden on Friday sought to turn President Trump’s remarks accepting of foreign help in 2020 against him, a change from his previous above-the-fray approach to challenging the incumbent by not getting into specifics.

Biden said in a video he agreed to an international commitment not to accept compromising information on political opponents from foreign governments. It represented reasonably real-time pushback against Trump’s statements and taunts, though he has had no official campaign events the past two days and a relatively light schedule since declaring his candidacy in April.

Biden on Friday targeted Trump for his recent comments that he’d potentially accept help from the Chinese, Russian, or other officials during his reelection campaign.

“Folks, this is simple. American elections should be decided by the American people and not by Russian or any other foreign power,” Biden said. “Donald Trump doesn’t think it matters if candidates for presidency accept damaging information on their opponents from foreign governments. I believe he’s dead wrong.”

The pledge Biden signed is the work of the European-based Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation and features signatories from politicians in countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Malta.

Those who join the pledge promise “not to fabricate, use or spread data or materials that were falsified, fabricated, doxed or stolen for disinformation or propaganda purposes,” spread “doctored audios/videos,” and to be “[committed] to transparency about the sources of campaign finances.”

“I won’t be part of any attempt to undermine our democracy or public confidence in our institutions,” Biden said.

Trump earned criticism from both Republicans and Democrats when he told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that “I think I’d take it,” if a foreign government offered damaging information on one of his opponents and would not inform the FBI should his campaign be approached.

The president defended his comments on Twitter, saying, “I meet and talk to ‘foreign governments’ every day.”

“Should I immediately call the FBI about these calls and meetings?” Trump continued. “How ridiculous! I would never be trusted again. With that being said, my full answer is rarely played by the Fake News Media. They purposely leave out the part that matters.”