Biden slams Trump's response to George Floyd protests: 'More interested in power than principle' - CNBC

WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Joe Biden addressed the ongoing civil unrest across the nation Tuesday, calling it a "wake-up call" for America. .

Biden slammed President Donald Trump's handling of the multiple crises plaguing the country, including the protests against police brutality and the coronavirus.

"'I can't breathe.' George Floyd's last words," said Biden.

Over the past 24 hours, the split-screen image that has been created by the two major party nominees for the White House in November, Biden and Trump, is as stark as any from a presidential race in recent memory.

As the president spoke, riot police and military police outside the White House used tear gas to clear protesters out of Lafayette Square, a public park in front of the president's residence.

Biden addressed the move on Tuesday, saying Trump is more interested in "power than in principle.".

"When peaceful protesters are dispersed by the order of the president from the doorstep of the people's house, the White House — using tear gas and flash grenades — in order to stage a photo op at a noble church, we can be forgiven for believing that the president is more interested in power than in principle," Biden said.

The former vice president drew a sharp contrast on Tuesday between Trump's leadership style and his own.

The Trump campaign accused Biden of using "the politics of racial division" while defending the president's response to the protest.

"President Trump is restoring the nation to order and is clearly the leader we need to return the country to peace and prosperity," said campaign advisor Katrina Pierson.

As of Tuesday, Biden held a 6-point lead over Trump in the Real Clear Politics average of national presidential polls.

Biden, who was vice president under Barack Obama, the first black U.S.

president, has previously said that he decided to run for the White House after hearing Trump say there were "very fine people on both sides" of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white supremacists and neo-Nazis marched in 2017.