Biden defends FBI in Pennsylvania speech, touts support for assault weapons ban

President Joe Biden gave a speech in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on Tuesday in which he defended the FBI and condemned the multitude of threats and criticism lodged against the bureau in the aftermath of its raid on Donald Trump's Florida estate earlier in August.

“It's sickening to see the new attacks on the FBI, threatening the life of law enforcement and their families, for simply carrying out the law and doing their job,” Biden said, according to the Associated Press. “I'm opposed to defunding the police; I'm also opposed to defunding the FBI.”

Earlier this month, agents with the Washington Field Office raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago compound seeking documents the former president may have removed from the White House. The raid drew widespread accusations of political bias from Republicans who have vowed to investigate the raid should they gain congressional majority in either house in the midterms.

Following the raid, threats mounted against the bureau, with one armed man attempting to breach the FBI office in Cincinnati, Ohio, resulting in his death following a chase and a shootout. The incident, along with a multitude of online threats, prompted the FBI to circulate a warning to its personnel about the issue.

Biden also touched on his support for renewing the 1994 assault weapons ban, pointing to the devastating mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that saw many children killed.

“We’re not stopping here. I’m determined to ban assault weapons in this country! Determined. I did it once before. And I’ll do it again," he said.