Biden believes Trump is a fascist, Karine Jean-Pierre says moments after insisting he didn't mean 'lock him up'

President Joe Biden believes erstwhile President Donald Trump is simply a fascist, property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday, moments aft insisting nan 81-year-old didn't mean 'lock him up' literally.

During a travel to New Hampshire Tuesday, Biden said of Trump, 'We sewage to fastener him up,' earlier clarifying and saying he meant 'politically.' 

Jean-Pierre reiterated that constituent during Wednesday's briefing saying Biden said 'very clearly' erstwhile making nan 'lock him up' jab - thing Trump supporters primitively said astir 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. 

Moments later nan property caput was asked for Biden's return connected comments made by Trump's erstwhile Chief of Staff John Kelly - who told The New York Times that nan GOP nominee met nan meaning of being a fascist and had said immoderate affirmative things astir Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. 

'I mean - yes,' Jean-Pierre answered erstwhile a newsman asked if Biden believed Trump was a fascist.

'He said himself,' nan property caput continued. 'The erstwhile president said he was going to beryllium a dictator connected time one. We cannot disregard that.' 

Jean-Pierre besides brought up January 6. 

'Their lives were ruined because of that day,' she said, bringing up rule enforcement officers and those who witnessed nan unit connected Capitol Hill. 'Because 2,000 group were told by nan erstwhile president to spell there, to find nan erstwhile vice president, to extremity a free and adjacent election.' 

During nan Wednesday briefing, Jean-Pierre was first asked astir Biden saying that Trump should beryllium locked up - a astonishing remark from nan sitting president, arsenic nan Democrat has pushed for nan state to get distant from that benignant of divisive rhetoric. 

But pinch conscionable 2 weeks to spell earlier Election Day, Biden made off-the-cuff remarks to a group of Democratic run workers successful Concord, New Hampshire, sounding nan siren astir Trump. 

'This is simply a feline who besides wants to switch each civilian servant, each azygous one; thinks he has a correct nether nan Supreme tribunal ruling connected immunity to beryllium able, if request beryllium ... to really elimintate – physically eliminate, shoot, termination – personification who is, he believes would beryllium a threat to him,' Biden said. 

'I mean, so, I cognize this sounds bizarre. It sounds like, I said this 5 years agone – "you'd fastener maine up." We gotta fastener him up,' Biden said. 'Politically fastener him up,' Biden clarified a fewer seconds later.

The president's comments played correct into Trump's claims that nan Biden White House - and not an independent Department of Justice - has been down his bevy of ineligible troubles. 

When asked astir it Wednesday, Jean-Pierre somewhat changed up Biden's wording. 

'So look, nan president said astir this very clearly, arsenic well, successful his connection and he said he meant fastener him retired politically, politically fastener him out,' she answered. 

'Look, let's not hide this is simply a president that has ne'er shied distant from being very clear successful laying down what is astatine liking successful this election,' she continued. 'I'm going to beryllium very mindful to not speak astir nan 2024 predetermination that is little than 2 weeks ago, but this is conscionable speaking to what nan president said past night, he made clear, he made very clear yesterday that he was referring to defeating, to defeating Donald Trump.'

'That is what he was talking about, he said politically, politically fastener him out,' she added. 

A newsman pointed retired Biden doubly said 'lock him up' and asked if that meant conclusion Trump.

'Well it's not what I'm saying, it's what he said ... he clarified himself. He wanted to make judge things were put successful context,' Jean-Pierre answered. 'This is nan president himself going backmost to explain, to explain, to opportunity that he was talking astir politically, politically fastener him up.' 

She was past asked for Biden's return connected nan Kelly assertions. 

'Do we work together astir that determination? Yes, yes we do,' Jean-Pierre said.