Biden in Rocky Mount: 'I'm Jill Biden's Husband,' 'We Lost Our Son in Iraq' and 'No Comment' on Trump (June 9, 2023)

The day President Joe Biden flew to North Carolina, reporters wanted to ask him about one thing: the federal indictment of former President Donald Trump. “Exiting the Beast alone, POTUS did not respond to pool’s shouted questions on the Trump indictment,” the pooler reported from Joint Base Andrews on June 9, 2023 [2].

At Nash Community College in Rocky Mount, they tried again during a tour of a training lab. “As we left, reporters asked about the Trump indictment news, and POTUS responded: ‘I have no comment,’” the pool reported [2].

”Found Out Just Like Everybody Else”

On the flight down, Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton fielded the same questions. “Does the President have any reaction to the Trump indictment?” a reporter asked. “We are just not going to comment on this case and would refer you to the DOJ, which runs its criminal investigations independently,” Dalton said [6].

Another reporter asked “what does the White House tell Republican critics who are now increasingly saying the DOJ has become politicized?” Dalton answered: “Look, this is a President who respects the rule of law and has said that since day one” [6].

Then came the timing. “Olivia, Republicans are charging that the timing is suspicious on the indictment because of those Burisma FBI documents coming out the same day,” a reporter said. “I will tell you, though, that — and confirm, as we’ve said overnight, that the President, senior staff found out just like everybody else last night. No advance knowledge that this was coming,” Dalton said [6].

The Speech

Then Biden gave a speech on job training. The video above shows the end of that speech. Quotes are from the official transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

”I’m Jill Biden’s Husband”

Biden opened with a joke. “Folks, I’m Jill Biden’s husband,” he said, to laughter [1].

He thanked local officials and stumbled over the names. “And I want to thank everyone on Rocky Mountain City Council, Nash County, Edge—Edge—excuse me, Edgecombe County,” Biden said [1]. When he said “Rocky Mountain” again later in the speech, the White House transcript corrected it to “Mount” [1].

He introduced Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., with a list of titles. “I don’t know what the hell to call him—doctor, minister, reverend,” Biden said [1].

”We Lost Our Son in Iraq”

Biden then explained why he ran in 2020. “I ran for President—I ran for President for a basic reason. And I hadn’t planned on running again for President. I had run when I was Vice President, and then Barack and I spent 8 years together,” he said [1].

“And in the meantime, things changed in our life and our family. I lost my son. We lost our son in Iraq. Anyway. I hadn’t planned on running,” Biden said [1].

Both claims were wrong, Fox News reported. “In contrast to his claims, Beau tragically passed away from glioblastoma in May 2015 at Walter Reed military hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Beau served a tour in Iraq from 2008 to 2009,” Fox reported. Biden “unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2007, but did not run again until the 2020 presidential primaries” [3].

“Biden maintains that his son’s illness may have been caused by toxic burn pits in Iraq, but has still made the claim about his son dying in Iraq on numerous other occasions,” Fox noted [3].

”By the Year 20—Anyway”

Biden turned to climate change. “If we don’t deal with global warming—it’s the only existential threat that exists for humanity. All of the data shows that if we don’t stay between 1.5 degrees Celsius by the year 20—anyway, we’re going to be in trouble,” he said [1].

He also explained inflation. “When we had a problem with the pandemic in Asia—those places shut down—we had to stop making cars. And the price of cars—used cars went up, skyrocketed, and—and the biggest reason for inflation,” Biden said [1].

”Have at It, Man”

He closed with taxes. “I’m a capitalist. If you can go out and make a billion dollars, have at it, man. Just pay your fair share of taxes,” Biden said. An audience member called out, “Yeah, pay your taxes” [1].

”I Have Not Spoken to Him at All”

As Biden left, a reporter tried one more time. “Right at the end, DJ Judd of CNN asked the president whether he has spoken to AG Garland,” the pool reported. Biden replied: “I have not spoken to him at all and I’m not going to speak with him. And I have no comment on that” [2].

By the Numbers

2: times that day the pool reported Biden declining Trump indictment questions [2].
$16 billion: private investment in North Carolina community colleges since 2021, per Biden [1].
1,800: jobs at Wolfspeed’s new chip plant, per Biden [1].
2008 to 2009: Beau Biden’s tour in Iraq [3].
37: felony counts Trump pleaded not guilty to in the documents case [4].

What Happened Next

Trump’s case was thrown out. In July 2024, “U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday dismissed Smith’s case, citing that Smith’s special counsel appointment by Attorney General Merrick Garland was unconstitutional,” Fox News reported. Trump had “pleaded not guilty to all 37 felony counts” [4].

Biden was not charged over his own documents. In February 2024, special counsel Robert Hur wrote: “We conclude that no criminal charges are warranted in this matter” [5]. For the White House’s answers on Biden’s documents, see HYGO News’ page on the Jan. 23, 2023, briefing, and for another speech where Biden skipped over his vice presidency, the page on his Oceanside rally.