Statement by Vice President Joe Biden on President Trump's Visit to North Carolina

President Trump likes to call himself a wartime president, but the reality is that North Carolinians are still suffering because he surrendered to COVID-19 long ago. He abandoned North Carolinians in their moment of need, and his failure of leadership has cost over 2,700 lives.

President Trump still does not understand that in order to fully and effectively restart the economy, we must defeat the virus. Instead of providing North Carolina the roadmap and resources needed to protect small businesses, schools, and families, he has criticized local leaders and threatened educators for listening to public health experts. Instead of honoring the sacrifice of our frontline heroes, President Trump has repeatedly ignored public health guidance for political purposes. Instead of focusing on expanding COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, he is trying to get the U.S. Supreme Court to rip away access to health care and erase protections for more than 4 million North Carolinians with preexisting conditions.

North Carolinians deserve a president who understands what it takes to manage a crisis, unite our nation, and build our economy back better. If I am elected President, North Carolinians will have a partner in the White House — one who will immediately begin implementing a plan to tackle this pandemic and help us build back better.