Donald Trump claims Barack Obama has not endorsed Joe Biden because 'there's something he feels is wrong' then calls for Bernie Sanders' supporters to vote REPUBLICAN because they agree on 'trade'

  • President Trump reacted to Bernie Sanders leaving the 2020 race by asking why President Obama never endorsed Joe Biden, the presumptive nominee 
  • 'And I don't know why President Obama hasn't supported Joe Biden a long time ago,' Trump said Wednesday. 'There's something he feels is wrong' 
  • Trump also called it 'weird' that Sanders would remain on the ballot for the remainder of the primaries and continue to collect convention delegates  
  • Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID

President Trump responded to Bernie Sanders suspending his presidential campaign by questioning why President Obama never bothered to endorse Joe Biden during the Democratic primaries. 

'And I don't know why President Obama hasn't supported Joe Biden a long time ago,' Trump said at the White House Wednesday. 'There's something he feels is wrong,' Trump claimed.  

Trump also said that he hoped disaffected Sanders fans would come support him since the Republican president and the democratic socialist senator see eye-to-eye on trade. 

President Trump responded to Bernie Sanders dropping out of the Democratic primary race by asking why President Obama never backed Joe Biden, the presumptive nominee, during the process

President Trump responded to Bernie Sanders dropping out of the Democratic primary race by asking why President Obama never backed Joe Biden, the presumptive nominee, during the process 

Bernie Sanders addressed supporters via livestream on Wednesday and said he was suspending his presidential campaign. 'I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth,' he said 'But the path toward victory is virtually impossible'

Bernie Sanders addressed supporters via livestream on Wednesday and said he was suspending his presidential campaign. 'I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth,' he said 'But the path toward victory is virtually impossible' 

With Sanders out, Biden will become the Democratic nominee. But Trump floated that something 'weird' was going on because Sanders was keeping his delegates and told supporters he'd still be on the ballot in the states to come

With Sanders out, Biden will become the Democratic nominee. But Trump floated that something 'weird' was going on because Sanders was keeping his delegates and told supporters he'd still be on the ballot in the states to come 

Trump also stoked speculation that Obama hadn't endorsed Biden in the primary because 'he knows something that you don't know.' Obama, for months, has said he wouldn't back a Democrat in the primary

Trump also stoked speculation that Obama hadn't endorsed Biden in the primary because 'he knows something that you don't know.' Obama, for months, has said he wouldn't back a Democrat in the primary 

'And I hope that a lot of Bernie Sanders people just like they did last time, we got a tremendous percentage of Bernie people and I think they voted for me largely because of trade,' Trump said in the briefing room. 

Trump had been asked by a reporter to offer his thoughts on the Sanders campaign being over. 

'He didn't really drop out,' Trump began. 'What about his delegates? He said that he's going to keep his delegates.' 

'That's a weird deal going on there,' Trump said. 

Sanders first announced he decided to drop out on a staff call and then informed the press. He then spoke to supporters over livestream a little before noon on Wednesday. 

On the call he said that he would keep his name on the ballot in states that have yet to vote in the Democratic primary. 

And he'd keep amassing delegates too, as a way for the progressives to have more sway during this summer's Democratic National Convention, which is now set to happen in August instead of July due to coronavirus concerns. 

'And I think he's doing it to negotiate, I assume,' Trump surmised.  

After describing what he thought was 'weird' behavior from Sanders, Trump brought up Obama, who has said for months that he wouldn't endorse any candidate during the primary.  

 'I'm sure he's going to come out at some point because he certainly doesn't want to see me for four more years,' Trump commented on Obama's coming endorsement. 'We think a little bit differently,' the president said. 

'You know what, I'll tell you, it does amaze me that President Obama hasn't supported Sleepy Joe, it just hasn't happened, when is it going to happen?' Trump mused. 'He knows something that you don't know. That I think I know, but you don't know,' the president went on. 

Trump said he watched Sanders speech Wednesday calling it 'standard fare' from the democratic socialist.       

'The future of this country is with our ideas,' Sanders had told supporters.  

Sanders said that Joe Biden 'would be the nominee.' And that after the convention they would take on President Trump together.

Bernie Sanders (right) said he knew that Joe Biden (left) would be the Democratic nominee, but he told supporters he would stay on the ballot in order to collect delegates so that progressive could have more sway at the Democratic National Convention

Bernie Sanders (right) said he knew that Joe Biden (left) would be the Democratic nominee, but he told supporters he would stay on the ballot in order to collect delegates so that progressive could have more sway at the Democratic National Convention 

The race had been over for the Vermont senator since he lost Michigan to Biden in mid-March.

'I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth,' Sanders said Wednesday. He pointed out that he was about 300 delegates behind the former vice president. 'The path toward victory is virtually impossible.' 

'I have concluded that this battle for the Democratic nomination will not be successful,' Sanders continued. 'So today I am announcing the suspension of my campaign.'  

Sanders called it a 'very difficult and painful decision.' 

And he said he knew some of his most fervent supporters would not support him throwing in the towel. 

'I know there may be some in our movement who may not agree with this decision,' Sanders said. 

But the coronavirus pandemic, he added, played into his decision - as he needed to do 'an enormous amount of work' as part of his day job, that of a U.S. senator. 

'As friends, Jill and I want to say to Bernie and Jane, we know how hard this is. You have put the interest of the nation - and the need to defeat Donald Trump - above all else,' Biden said in a statement sent out by his campaign. 'And for that Jill and I are grateful.' 

'But we also want you to know: I'll be reaching out to you. You will be heard by me. As you say: Not me, us,' the former vice president continued. 'And to your supporters I make the same commitment: I see you, I hear you, and I understand the urgency of what it is we have to get done in this country.' 

Biden said he hoped Sanders' supporters, which represent the younger part of the party, would support him. 

'You are more than welcome. You're needed,' Biden said.  

 Of course the Trump campaign immediately went for Sanders' supporters too.    

'With Bernie Sanders suspending his campaign, it's all but official that the Democrat establishment got the candidate they wanted in Joe Biden, as well as the candidate President Trump will destroy in November,' Campaign Manager Brad Parscale said in a statement. 

'President Trump is still disrupting Washington, D.C., while Biden represents the old, tired way,' Parscale added, blasting Biden for 'continuing to coddle the communist regime in China.'  

Trump's campaign also welcomed disaffected Sanders supporters to give the current president a look.  

'Democrat elites shoved Bernie Sanders to the side for a second time, leaving many of his supporters looking for a new home,' Parscale said.   

Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, saw his fortunes rise and then fall over the course of the Democratic primaries, which kicked off in early February.

Sanders had a strong performance in the first three races. 

In Iowa, he tied Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, though the bigger story out of the Hawkeye State was an app malfunction that led to widespread reporting delays of the caucus results. 

Sanders, Buttigieg and the rest of the 2020 contenders had moved on to New Hampshire by the time the results were finally reported. 

In the Granite State, Sanders again benefitted from his next-door-neighbor status, winning the state, but only by 1.3 points over Buttigieg. Sen. Amy Klobuchar came in third. 

It was in Nevada where Sanders cemented his frontrunner status. 

He received 46.8 per cent of the vote in the caucus state, showing strength with Democratic Latino voters. 

But Joe Biden finished in the top two for the first time - telling his supporters this was enough momentum for him to stay in the race. 

South Carolina changed everything for both Biden and Sanders. 

In the Palmetto State, Biden won with the help of the important endorsement of Rep. Jim Clyburn, Congress' most powerful black lawmaker. And Biden beat Sanders by a commanding 28.5 points.  

From there, Biden had all the momentum in the race - quickly snapping up endorsements from Buttigieg, Klobuchar and Beto O'Rourke, who had dropped out of the race previously. 

On Super Tuesday, which took place three days later, Biden snapped up 11 of the 14 states that voted. 

Sanders' biggest prize, California, wasn't called until the narrative was already set: Biden was again the frontrunner. 

Republicans insisted that in-person voting in Wisconsin go on despite fears that the gathering could expose voters to the coronavirus. Many voters were picking between Democrats Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders

Republicans insisted that in-person voting in Wisconsin go on despite fears that the gathering could expose voters to the coronavirus. Many voters were picking between Democrats Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders 

The former vice president continued to collect endorsements, including from Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire ex-New York City mayor who was also competing for moderate Democrats support.  

A week later, when Michigan voted as part of Super Tuesday II, Sanders lost his last, best chance of eating into Biden's delegate lead. 

Neither Biden nor Sanders have been able to actively campaign since the Super Tuesday races due to the coronavirus crisis, in which social distancing measures were slowly put in place all over the United States. 

Sanders was first to utilize livestream campaigning - holding coronavirus-themed events, usually with a musical guest also performing, which was typical for his campaign. 

Biden was slower to adapt, but now has a television and livestream set up in his recreation room at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.  

On Tuesday, Wisconsin Republicans made voters in that state vote amid the pandemic - with droves waiting in long lines to make their pick between Biden and Sanders. 

In 2016, Sanders stayed in the race until the convention though endorsed Hillary Clinton on July 12, two weeks before Democrats gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to give the former secretary of state the nomination.