Biden to ABC's Robin Roberts: 'I don't want to defund' the police, but Trump does
Biden and Harris' first joint interview airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
In his first interview as the Democratic presidential nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden refuted President Donald Trump's claim that he wants to "defund the police" and argued that Trump supports cutting programs that would help fund local police departments.
"President Trump says that you want to defund the police. Do you?" asked "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts in an interview conducted Friday in Wilmington, Delaware.
"No I don't," Biden said, laughing.
Biden said that while he doesn't want to "defund the police," he does want to eliminate misconduct and discriminatory practices.
"I don't want to defund police departments. I think they need more help, they need more assistance, but that, look, there are unethical senators, there are unethical presidents, there are unethical doctors, unethical lawyers, unethical prosecutors, there are unethical cops. They should be rooted out," Biden later added.
"By the way, he proposes cutting a half a billion dollars of local police support," Biden added, seemingly referring to the Trump administration's proposed cuts to a federal program that helps hire more local law enforcement officers.
controversial 1994 crime bill, which has been criticized as a driver of mass incarceration. He framed it as an effort to strengthen community policing.
"Everybody forgets a third of that bill that I wrote was to put more cops in the street, not in their automobiles, but getting out and knowing the community -- knowing who owns the local grocery store, knowing everybody in the community, and crime will drop," said Biden.
Biden also called for more resources for social services to support police.
"We have to make it clear that this is about protecting neighborhoods, protecting people, everybody across the board," he said. "So the only guy that actually put in a bill to actually defund the police is Donald Trump."
Biden to ABC's Robin Roberts: 'I don't want to defund' the police, but Trump does
Biden and Harris' first joint interview airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
In his first interview as the Democratic presidential nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden refuted President Donald Trump's claim that he wants to "defund the police" and argued that Trump supports cutting programs that would help fund local police departments.
"President Trump says that you want to defund the police. Do you?" asked "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts in an interview conducted Friday in Wilmington, Delaware.
"No I don't," Biden said, laughing.
Biden said that while he doesn't want to "defund the police," he does want to eliminate misconduct and discriminatory practices.
"I don't want to defund police departments. I think they need more help, they need more assistance, but that, look, there are unethical senators, there are unethical presidents, there are unethical doctors, unethical lawyers, unethical prosecutors, there are unethical cops. They should be rooted out," Biden later added.
"By the way, he proposes cutting a half a billion dollars of local police support," Biden added, seemingly referring to the Trump administration's proposed cuts to a federal program that helps hire more local law enforcement officers.
controversial 1994 crime bill, which has been criticized as a driver of mass incarceration. He framed it as an effort to strengthen community policing.
"Everybody forgets a third of that bill that I wrote was to put more cops in the street, not in their automobiles, but getting out and knowing the community -- knowing who owns the local grocery store, knowing everybody in the community, and crime will drop," said Biden.
Biden also called for more resources for social services to support police.
"We have to make it clear that this is about protecting neighborhoods, protecting people, everybody across the board," he said. "So the only guy that actually put in a bill to actually defund the police is Donald Trump."
Biden to ABC's Robin Roberts: 'I don't want to defund' the police, but Trump does
