Biden Declares ‘Dark Days’ Under Trump, Praises Late-Night Hosts as Heroes [WATCH]

Joe Biden delivered a speech in Boston on Sunday night describing the current political climate as “dark days” under President Donald Trump and urging Americans to “get back up” by standing with late-night television hosts, whom he called “brave moral exemplars” of free speech.

Biden, 82, spoke publicly for the first time since completing a round of radiation therapy for an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

The Associated Press reported that he appeared at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute to accept its Lifetime Achievement Award and used the occasion to issue a pointed warning about what he described as the erosion of democratic norms during Trump’s administration.

Former President Joe Biden spoke publicly for the first time since completing a round of radiation therapy for an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

He addressed an audience in Boston on Sunday after winning the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. pic.twitter.com/7leJAKrcWk

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 27, 2025

“Since its founding, America served as a beacon for the most powerful idea ever in government in the history of the world,” Biden said.

“The idea is stronger than any army. We’re more powerful than any dictator.”

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Biden told the audience that the nation’s strength depends on the separation of powers and the balance among its governing institutions.

“America depends on a presidency with limited power, a functioning Congress and an autonomous judiciary,” he said.

Referring to the ongoing government shutdown—the second-longest in U.S. history—Biden accused Trump of using the funding lapse “as a way to exercise new command over the government.”

Biden framed his message around themes of resilience, warning that the country was facing one of the most challenging periods in its modern history.

“Friends, I can’t sugar coat any of this. These are dark days,” he said.

“But we will find our true compass again and emerge as we always have — stronger, wiser and more resilient, more just, so long as we keep the faith.”

The former president, who has largely remained out of the public eye during his cancer treatment, has continued to speak critically of Trump’s leadership since leaving office.

In his remarks Sunday, Biden pointed to cultural figures, particularly late-night television hosts, as examples of individuals who he said are keeping the spirit of free speech alive despite public backlash and declining ratings.

“The late night hosts continue to shine a light on free speech knowing their careers are on the line,” Biden said.

He praised them for what he described as their willingness to speak out even as entertainment media faces diminished influence in political life.

Biden’s comments came amid renewed tensions in Washington, where congressional negotiations over funding have stalled and the government shutdown continues with no resolution in sight.

He tied his criticism of Trump’s handling of the shutdown to broader concerns about the health of American democracy, telling the audience that the nation’s founding ideals are being tested.

According to the Associated Press, Biden appeared composed but spoke in somber tones throughout the address.

He concluded by repeating a message of perseverance that has become a recurring theme in his public remarks. “Get back up,” he told the audience, receiving a standing ovation as he ended his speech.

The event marked Biden’s first major public appearance since undergoing cancer treatment earlier this fall.

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute said the Lifetime Achievement Award recognized Biden’s “decades of public service and commitment to democratic values.”