Scandal-plagued Dem becomes Trump’s measuring stick for Hunter Biden’s 2028 odds

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President Donald Trump entertained the idea of Hunter Biden running for president in 2028, quipping on Thursday that the former first son might have a shot if scandal-plagued candidates like Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner can survive the political spotlight.

"[Hunter Biden's] on social media now, and he has suggested –  maybe joking, I don't know – that he could run for president in 2028. How would he do, Hunter Biden, in a 2028 Democratic primary?" Fox News' Peter Doocy asked Trump on Thursday. 

The former first son became active on X in May, sparking speculation that he is gearing up for a potential run for political office.

"I would say his past is not the greatest," Trump responded. 

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"Hey, if the guy from Maine can do well," the president continued. "Well, I guess Hunter could do well, too, because the guy from Maine is a basket case."

Platner, who Trump was referencing, faces a myriad of campaign controversies stemming from his deleted Reddit account, a Nazi-linked tattoo, hard-drug use, sexting allegations and a newly-released New York Times report detailing his alleged behavior with ex-girlfriends. Biden, meanwhile, has a documented history of drug use and legal troubles, culminating in a sweeping pardon from his father weeks before Trump returned to office.

Despite mounting controversies, Platner remains competitive in polls as he seeks to unseat incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins.

Trump also compared a potential Hunter Biden 2028 run to James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Texas.

"And I would say worse than him is the one from Texas that looks like Alfred E. Neuman," he said "I would say that if he can do well, maybe Hunter can do well. I'm not sure, it'll be pretty close as far as I'm concerned."

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Trump, speaking to the press during an event focused on the administration's investment in coal energy, also provided some new information about former President Joe Biden’s mental state during a private meeting they held after the 2024 elections.

"President Biden is out promoting a new book this week. When you met with Joe Biden, President Joe Biden, right here in the Oval Office on November the 13th of 2024, could you detect any cognitive decline in President Biden at that time?" a reporter asked.

"No, not really. I mean, he was the same guy I've been watching for a long time," the president answered. 

"He was fine as far as I was concerned," Trump said, adding that "I don't know, something happened to him during the debate. It could have been me."

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Trump noted that the elder Biden was "never the sharpest guy."

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for the former president and Hunter Biden on Thursday.