Donald Trump doubles down on claims Democrat Joe Biden used drugs to better his debate performance

Donald Trump claimed Joe Biden was taking performance enhancing drugs.
Donald Trump claimed Joe Biden was taking performance enhancing drugs. Photo credit: Getty

Donald Trump has doubled down on claims Democratic nominee Joe Biden used drugs to improve his performance in political debates.

In August, the US President demanded drug testing before the presidential debates after he accused Biden of taking drugs.

On Wednesday, Trump sat down for an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham where they talked about the upcoming US election on November 3.

Trump said he came up with the idea that Biden was taking drugs after watching the Democratic debates.

"I watched Biden in the previous debates and he was horrible," Trump said.

"And then I watched him in the Bernie [Sanders] debate and he was normal. He wasn't Winston Churchill, but he was normal. It was sort of an even deal, he got buy in."

Trump said Biden was "a different guy" compared to when he went up against Kamala Harris who "just took him apart".

"He's on some kind of an enhancement in my opinion."

Biden hasn't denied or publically commented on Trump's drug claims.

It's not the first time Trump has accused his competitors of drug-taking. In 2016 he accused Hillary Clinton of using drugs to better her performance in their second presidential debate.

In his interview on Wednesday with Ingraham, Trump reiterated his goal for him and Biden to be drug tested.

"I say we should both - I should take a drug test, so should he. Because we don't want to have a situation where a guy is taking some kind of... I want to take one, we should both take a drug test."

The debates begin on September 29 in Cleveland, Ohio.

On Wednesday it was announced Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace will host the first presidential debate.

The second will be held in Miami, Florida on October 15, and hosted by C-SPAN Networks' political editor Steve Scully.

NBC's White House correspondent Kristen Welker will host the final presidential debate on 22 October in Nashville, Tennessee.

The only vice-presidential debate between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Mike Pence will be in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 7.

Biden's campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement to ABC News, that Biden is looking forward to the presidential debates.

"As Joe Biden has said for months - without farcical antics - he looks forward to participating in the debates set by the commission, regardless of who the independently chosen moderators are."

However, the Trump campaign complained about the choice of moderators.

"These are not the moderators we would have recommended if the campaign had been allowed to have any input," communications director Tim Murtaugh said.

"Some can be identified as clear opponents of President Trump, meaning Joe Biden will actually have a teammate on stage most of the time to help him excuse the radical, leftist agenda he is carrying. "One thing is sure: Chris Wallace’s selection ensures that Biden will finally see him face-to-face after dodging his interview requests. That is, if Biden actually shows up."