President Joe Biden returned to the White House Monday morning as his traditional presidential vacation concluded.
Biden flew out of New Castle Airport at 9 a.m. No events were on the official Monday White House schedule. However, it was disclosed that the president will make a primetime TV address on threats to democracy tonight in Philadelphia.
Last week, the president drew fire from Republicans when he labeled some party members as “semi-fascists.” It’s part of a campaign by Democrats to accuse Republicans of extremist tendencies.
A few GOP members in Congress and other offices oppose aid to Ukraine and express admiration for dictators, with others in the party refraining from direct criticism of such remarks. Republicans have struck back by labeling Democrats as “socialists” with autocratic tendencies of their own.
Meanwhile, First Lady Jill Biden this week ended up with a bounceback case of Covid-19 and is in self-isolation. The president had a similar case.
The Bidens started the vacation in South Carolina. The president later flew to the White House to sign Inflation Reduction Act legislation and spent some of the remaining time in Delaware.
On Friday, the White House held a meeting with local elected officials as part of an effort to ensure women have access to abortion services after the contentious Supreme Court decision that has led to bans on procedures in some states and threats of legal action against those who travel to other jurisdictions.
It had been rumored that the president would travel to his beach house near Rehoboth this past weekend but instead headed to Greenville, just outside Wilmington.
The presidential visits to Rehoboth draw scattered criticism due to restrictions that affect aerial banners over the beach and crop dusting. Visits to northern Delaware also lead to criticism from those who believe the president should spend all his time at the White House.
Last week, Biden finally released a plan to forgive some student loans, with Republicans claiming his proposal hurt those who paid off their loans or financed their education by other means.
The administration struck back by accusing some congressional critics of hypocrisy by noting that their businesses received forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Flight restrictions in the Wilmington area expired on Monday.
