‘Trump Is the Most Corrupt President,’ Biden Says as He Rallies Democrats in Sioux Falls

Former President Joe Biden delivered a sharply worded message during a political event in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he directly attacked Donald Trump’s record and leadership, stating, “Trump is the most corrupt president,” as he sought to energize Democratic supporters in a state where the party faces steep political headwinds.

For a state where Republican politics dominate nearly every statewide race, the visit carried more weight than a routine party dinner. It was a rare moment when South Dakota Democrats found themselves at the center of a national political conversation.

The crowd came looking for energy. Biden came offering a warning, a pep talk, and a direct challenge to Democrats who feel outnumbered in one of America’s reddest states.

A Rare Presidential Visit in South Dakota

Biden’s stop in Sioux Falls was notable before he even took the stage. Presidential visits to South Dakota are uncommon, and local reporting described the event as historic for many attendees. More than 1,000 people attended, and tickets for the dinner and meet-and-greet opportunities sold out.

That matters because South Dakota Democrats are not operating from a position of comfort. The state has been firmly Republican in recent elections, and Democrats face a steep climb in statewide races. Still, Biden’s appearance gave party leaders something they badly needed after the June primary season: visibility.

In politics, attention is currency. For one night, South Dakota Democrats had it.

Biden Targets Trump and Tries to Rally the Base

Biden’s speech leaned into the contrast between his party’s message and Trump’s leadership. According to local coverage, Biden described recent years as “dark days” and sharply criticized Trump, calling him corrupt in front of the Democratic audience.

That line was clearly meant to land hard with a crowd already worried about the direction of the country. But the larger message of the night was less about one insult and more about endurance.

Biden told Democrats that America had survived difficult chapters before. His message was that the country had “bounced back” in the past and could do so again. The phrase that captured the night was his call that now was not the time to give up, but the time to get up.

It was vintage Biden in tone: part campaign speech, part moral argument, part reminder that politics is often about who keeps showing up after the losses.

Why This Visit Matters in a Republican Stronghold

South Dakota is not considered easy ground for Democrats. Republicans hold most of the power statewide, and the upcoming governor’s race is expected to favor the eventual GOP nominee.

That is exactly why Biden’s visit mattered.

For Democrats in a deep red state, national party figures often appear only from a distance, through fundraising emails, television ads, or cable news clips. A former president showing up in person sends a different signal. It tells local candidates, volunteers, and voters that they are not being written off.

Biden also used the moment to endorse three Democratic candidates: Dan Ahlers for governor, Julian Beaudion for U.S. Senate, and Nikki Gronli for the U.S. House. Those endorsements give the candidates a boost in recognition, especially among Democratic voters who may be looking for a clear slate heading into November.

The endorsements also show how Democrats hope to frame their campaigns: working families, health care, education, rural communities, and candidates who understand life in South Dakota.

The Governor’s Race Adds Extra Heat

Biden’s appearance came just days after South Dakota’s primary election, where the Republican race for governor moved into a runoff. Gov. Larry Rhoden and businessman Toby Doeden advanced after no candidate secured enough support to avoid another round of voting.

That Republican fight gives Democrats a narrow window to organize while GOP candidates continue battling each other. Ahlers, the Democratic candidate for governor, can use that time to introduce himself more widely and make the case that the state needs a different direction.

Still, the road is difficult. South Dakota voters have not elected a Democratic governor in decades. Whoever wins the Republican nomination will likely enter the general election with a strong advantage.

That does not mean the race is meaningless. For Democrats, the goal is not only to win one race. It is also to rebuild networks, recruit local candidates, raise money, and convince voters that the party still has a place in the state’s political future.

A Speech About More Than One Night

Biden’s Sioux Falls speech was not just about Trump, and it was not only about the candidates on the ballot. It was also about morale.

Democrats nationally are still arguing over what went wrong in recent elections, how to talk to working-class voters, how to compete in rural America, and how to respond to Trump’s second term. South Dakota is one of the hardest places to test those answers, but that is what made the location powerful.

It is easy for a party to campaign where it is already popular. It is harder to stand in a state where the numbers are against you and tell supporters their work still matters.

That was the heart of Biden’s message. The party cannot only fight in comfortable places. It has to compete where the odds are ugly, where volunteers feel lonely, and where voters who disagree may still be willing to listen if someone speaks directly to their daily concerns.

What Comes Next for South Dakota Democrats

The real test begins after the applause fades.

A sold-out dinner can create excitement, but excitement has to turn into phone calls, voter registration, local events, fundraising, and turnout. Biden’s visit gave Democrats a headline. Now they have to turn that headline into groundwork.

For Ahlers, Beaudion, and Gronli, the challenge is clear. They must build campaigns that feel local, not simply national. South Dakota voters will want to hear about property taxes, farms, small businesses, schools, health care, public safety, and whether candidates understand the reality of life in rural towns and fast-growing cities like Sioux Falls.

Biden gave them a national spotlight. They still have to make the local argument.

That is why the Sioux Falls speech may be remembered less for one sharp line about Trump and more for the message behind it. Biden told Democrats in a deeply Republican state that they still matter, that their work is not wasted, and that political comebacks begin with people who refuse to disappear.

In a state where Democrats are used to being outnumbered, that may have been exactly what the room came to hear.