WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has clarified that he does not consider supporters of his predecessor Donald Trump to be a "threat".
Biden made the clarification on Friday a day after after a nationally televised speech in which he referred to "MAGA Republicans" — those who support Trump — as a "threat to democracy", reports Xinhua news agency.
"Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic ... And that is a threat to this country," the President had said on Thursday night.
But in a press conference on Friday, he said: "I don't consider any Trump supporters a threat to the country. I do think anyone who calls for the use of violence, refuses to acknowledge an election ... hanging the way you count votes, that is a threat to democracy."
Shortly after Biden's remark on Thursday night, Trump lambasted the President, posting on social media that his successor "must be insane, or suffering from late-stage dementia" for accusing him and his supporters of being a "threat" to the US.
"Someone should explain to Joe Biden, slowly but passionately, that MAGA means, as powerfully as mere words can get, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN," the former President said.
The term MAGA, or "Make America Great Again", was Trump's main slogan during his campaign and later his presidency.
"If he doesn't want to Make America Great Again, which through words, action, and thought, he doesn't, then he certainly should not be representing the United States of America," Trump posted on Friday.
Biden made the remark in the US city of Philadelphia, and occurred a few days after the president said Trump's supporters were backers of "semi-fascism". (IANS)
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