Biden sparks anger at Catholic Church over ‘despicable’ gesture as he ‘blesses’ abortion in Florida
President Joe Biden sparked a backlash among pro-life Catholics after he made the sign of the cross while listening to a speech on the limits of abortion on Tuesday.
Biden made the gesture at a campaign event in Florida with Nikki Fried, the Democratic candidate for governor who was running against Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.
During her opening statement, Fried expressed outrage at DeSantis for signing a six-week ban on abortions.
“Then we come back to the state of Florida, where Ron DeSantis felt he had to run for president and so 15 weeks wasn’t good enough,” Fried said. ‘And then we had to go to six weeks.’
Biden responded to her statement by making the sign of the cross.
President Joe Biden speaks at an organizing event as Nikki Fried laughs
Joe Biden raises his hand to make the sign of the cross
US President Joe Biden speaks to two children during a meeting with campaign volunteers and supporters
The president’s gesture angered politically active Catholics over the issue of abortion.
“Biden’s decision to make the sign of the cross in support of abortion extremism is a despicable charade that seeks to co-opt a sacred practice in support of his new abortion religion,” Catholic Vote Chairman Brian Burch told the Washington Examiner, Biden called Biden “terribly naive, senile or callously indifferent” to Christians when it comes to the issue of abortion.
Catholic Vote posted the clip of the moment on social media, shocking and angering Christians and Catholics.
“Absolutely mean, pray for the soul of our president, he is a weak old man, he must prepare to meet his maker…” wrote Catholic Bishop Joseph Strickland on social media.
Catholic Bishop Joseph Strickland speaks during a protest rally
Supporters of US President Joe Biden cheer as they await his speech on abortion rights
The president, who describes himself as a practicing Catholic, occasionally makes the sign of the cross while speaking in public to lighten the mood or to show the public that he is about to say something terrible about someone out of anger or frustration, or that he needs God’s blessing.
In November, Biden made the sign of the cross while mentioning former President Donald Trump, interrupting his speech to suggest he should be absolved of his sinful thoughts about the president.
Biden also made the sign of the cross during a September meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu after noting that they had been friends for 40 years, which appeared to be a joke about his age.
“We have been friends for more than 40 years, I checked,” Netanyahu said, prompting Biden to make the sign of the cross.
US President Joe Biden (left) meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (2-L) watches as U.S. President Joe Biden (R) arrives in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol
In February 2023, Biden made the sign of the cross after referring to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
“I’m going to be good. I will be good,” he told the audience, who laughed at his gesture.
But the president’s religious gesture during a discussion about abortion confused and angered Catholics, who expressed outrage on social media.
“This is a complete mockery of God,” said Student for Life President Kristan Hawkins wrote on social media. “EVERY Catholic should cry out this EVIL.”
Other Christians reacted with horror to Biden’s gesture.
‘Demonic: Joe Biden makes sign of the cross during pro-abortion rally’ wrote William Wolfe, executive director of the Center for Baptist Leadership. “When I say there are evil spiritual forces at play in his government, I mean it.”
Fried said Democrats were the “last line of defense” against Trump and Republicans after the Supreme Court repealed Roe V. Wade and Biden agreed.
“This extreme law in Florida will impact four million women in the state,” he said. ‘Let’s be very clear. There is one person responsible for this nightmare. And he is recognized, and he brags about it: Donald Trump.”