Former United States president Donald Trump made a bold claim asserting that President Joe Biden prefers him over Vice President Kamala Harris during a campaign stop in her home state of California on Saturday.
Trump criticised his presidential rival's performance and her path to the Democratic presidential nomination as he addressed a rally in the desert city of Coachella, best known for its annual music festival of the same name, Daily Mail reported.
"There was a coup, they actually threw [Biden] out of office and I am convinced that he likes me a little bit more than he likes her," said the Republican presidential candidate to a massive crowd of supporters at the rally.
"You know, I beat Biden. So we have a debate, he went down. In all fairness to him, he got 14 million votes, she got none. So he goes down, they said 'we want you out of here.'"
Trump also said that he thinks the border is the most important issue facing the nation, blaming Biden, Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom for the migrant crisis.
"I think the border is number one, because you know, you know we can fix things we can do, but what they've done to our country at the border is unbelievable," said Trump.
"Joe Biden was the worst president in the history of our country, she's the worst vice president in the history of our country."
Trump's rally in the heavily Democratic Calfornia came as part of his plan to campaign in "deep blue" states ahead of the November 5 presidential elections despite low odds of winning in such states.
Additionally, Trump's remarks come at a time when experts speculate that Biden is "deliberately sabotaging" Harris's campaign after he was forced to drop out.
"Biden is intentionally enacting revenge on Kamala for knifing him in the back," Republican political strategist who sits on the advisory board for Trump's campaign Jason Meister told the New York Post.
"He never liked her. The happiest he's looked in four years was when he put a red [Trump 2024] hat on after speaking with Shanksville firefighters [last month] on 9/11. He should just come out and endorse Trump."
Meanwhile, Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf told the US news outlet that it is possible that Biden is trying to pull a "power move".
"It would be absolutely ridiculous to assume that he has no resentment over how he was treated or how, frankly, he was forced out in what some would describe as a coup," said Sheinkopf.
"Why hasn't he appeared in places where he could do some good, like parts of Pennsylvania and states that the president has buoyed during his term? Nobody wants to give up being president of the United States – it's the one job you don't want to leave."
Earlier on Saturday, Trump visited Nevada, Las Vegas where he praised Hispanics as having "such energy" and is set to hold a rally in Arizona on Sunday.
He is also set to take the stage at New York City's Madison Square Garden on October 27.
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