Biden hits Trump on jobs, alleged 'losers' remark

"I'm always cautioned not to lose my temper. This may be as close as I've come in this campaign."

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden excoriated President Donald Trump on Friday during a campaign event billed as a speech about Trump's stewardship of the U.S. economy.

But Biden's fiercest criticism came as soon as he took the podium, to address a report from The Atlantic that said the president had called fallen U.S. soldiers laid to rest in Europe "losers."

"Quite frankly, if what is written in The Atlantic is true, it's disgusting... When my son volunteered and joined the United States military as the attorney general and went to Iraq for a year, and won the Bronze Star and other commendations, he wasn't a sucker. And the servicemen and women he served with, particularly those who did not come home, were not losers."

Trump vehemently denied the report on Friday.

During his speech in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden accused Trump of failing to feel the economic pain felt by many Americans this year, after data on Friday showed job growth slowing.

"He doesn’t feel it, he doesn’t understand, he just doesn’t care."

Trump and his fellow Republicans highlighted the fall in the unemployment rate in August to 8.4% as a sign that the economy is improving, after lockdown measures devastated small businesses.

"Bottom line, Mr. President, do your job."

The former vice president, who leads Trump in opinion polls, called on the president to bring congressional leaders together to restart stalled negotiations for another relief package for out-of-work Americans.