Trump responds to Biden’s fight talk

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump threatened former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday, saying in a tweet that Biden “would go down fast and hard” if the two men ever physically fought. Trump was responding to Biden’s comments Tuesday about how, if he was in high school, Biden would “beat the hell” out of Trump for disrespecting women.

Biden, speaking at a University of Miami rally to combat sexual assault, said, “A guy who ended up becoming our national leader said, ‘I can grab a woman anywhere and she likes it,’ ” referring to an Access Hollywood audio recording in which Trump is heard boasting about kissing and groping women without their consent. Biden said when he was asked if he would like to debate Trump, “If we were in high school, I’d take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him.”

The back-and-forth blustering between two men in their 70s comes a day after Trump criticized two of his predecessors, presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, for not being able to improve relations with Russia. And Trump is facing revived sexual misconduct accusations after a New York state judge ruled that a defamation lawsuit from a woman who has said Trump made unwanted sexual advances could go forward.

Biden, who has been a longtime advocate for antisexual assault policies, has been on the road lately, campaigning for Democrats.

Earlier this month, he campaigned for a Democrat in western Pennsylvania who won a special congressional election in a district that had previously been considered Trump country. Trump campaigned for the Republican candidate who lost. Democrats see the outcome as an indicator of a potential wave of Democratic wins in the upcoming midterm elections.

There has been talk of a possible 2020 presidential run, which could pit Biden, 75, directly against Trump, 71.

Biden considered running in 2016, but decided not to because of the death of his son. At the time, Trump said he thought Biden made the right choice for his family and that he would rather run against Hillary Clinton.

Trump has previously tweeted about Biden while he was vice president, commenting on Biden’s gaffes. In 2012, Trump said he felt sorry for Biden’s communications team.

“One of the hardest jobs in politics must be cleaning up after @JoeBiden gaffes,” Trump tweeted. “I feel sorry for his spokespeople.”