Biden stumbles with ‘Black jobs’ gaffe

President Biden on Friday appeared to stumble over a reference to “Black jobs,” a phrase Democrats have bashed former President Trump for using, and pivoted to jab the Republican over the line. 

“With your help, in just three and a half years we created over 2 million new Black jobs for Black — Black Americans,” Biden told a crowd at a brunch celebrating Black excellence hosted at the White House. He held a hand up as the crowd audibly reacted with laughter to the line. 

“By the way, the next Black job to be filled is as president United States of America,” he quipped, prompting cheers in reference to Vice President Harris.

Harris, who has already made history as the first Black and south Asian American in the second-in-command role, is running to succeed her boss in the Oval Office. She'd be the first woman and first female person of color to hold the presidency if elected in November.

Trump drew swift backlash during the first presidential debate with Biden, before the incumbent’s historic exit from the race, when he claimed that immigrants are “taking Black jobs.” 

Former first lady Michelle Obama and NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson both referenced the remark in their respective speeches at the Democratic National Convention last month, where Harris formally accepted the party nomination. 

“By the way — who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs?’” Obama said to applause. 

Johnson introduced himself to the convention as “here to do my Black job.” 

Biden on Friday also condemned a false claim about Haitian migrants, which was promoted by Trump earlier this week at the former president’s first debate with Harris.  

The Haitian American community is “under attack in our country right now,” Biden said at the brunch event. 

“It’s simply wrong. There’s no place in America [for this]. This has to stop, what he’s doing has to stop,” he said, though he did not mention Trump by name.

Biden touted his administration's investments to aid Black Americans and thanked the community for their support, saying "the Black community has always had my back, and I've always had yours."