![Mr Biden had a darker complexion four days after his presidential debate against Donald Trump on Thursday](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/en-us/politics/2024/07/02/TELEMMGLPICT000384197084_17199395925530_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwfSVWeZ_vEN7c6bHu2jJnT8.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Biden mocked by Trump for ‘fake tan’ in comeback speech
Donald Trump posted a photo of the President in which he appeared markedly more bronzed
![Mr Biden had a darker complexion four days after his presidential debate against Donald Trump on Thursday](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/en-us/politics/2024/07/02/TELEMMGLPICT000384197084_17199395925530_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwfSVWeZ_vEN7c6bHu2jJnT8.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Donald Trump has mocked Joe Biden for his apparent change in complexion on Monday after appearing ghostly white at last week’s presidential debate.
The former president posted a photo of Mr Biden, in which he appeared markedly more bronzed for a statement about the Supreme Court presidential immunity ruling from the White House.
Mr Biden’s family was concerned about his make-up at the presidential debate against Trump on Thursday, when he appeared “pale and pallid”, according to a report in the New York Times.
Four days later, Mr Biden had a darker complexion more often associated with Trump’s love of fake tan.
Step back
Trump posted a photo of the US president on his Truth Social platform on Monday night, as social media users questioned the apparent change in his skin colour, raising the possibility of a fake tan.
It came as Mr Biden’s team launched a fightback against Democrat calls for him to step back from this year’s presidential race, and allow a younger candidate to run for the party instead.
Mr Biden’s stilted performance at the debate has reignited concerns about his age and mental capacity. On Thursday, he froze several times during the 90-minute head-to-head with Trump, confused his attack lines and spoke in a husky tone of voice.
His campaign has since said Mr Biden will not stand down and that the media has overstated the importance of his age.
“The media has spent a ton of time blowing this out of proportion,” Quentin Fulks, the deputy campaign manager, told donors on Monday.
“We are not going to be in a defensive posture on this campaign.”
Too tired
The decision for Mr Biden to deliver an unexpected statement from the White House at 7.45pm local time on Monday was interpreted as a riposte to claims that he is not able to work after 4pm because he is often too tired.
Although unnamed Democrats have been quoted in US media outlets calling for Mr Biden to stand down, no elected politician has yet publicly called for the campaign to be suspended.
The campaign has launched adverts to assuage concerns about Mr Biden’s age, featuring his words at a campaign rally on Friday in which he said he is “not a young man” but “can do this job”.