7New developments have come forward, and they will affect President Joe Biden and his relationship with Walt Disney World Resort.
As we inch closer to the November 2024 election, President Joe Biden has been criticized by both his opponents and—allegedly—his own party as he seeks re-election for another four years in the White House.
Led by his wife, Jill Biden, President Biden has continued to say that he will remain in the race despite growing calls for him to step down following an embarrassing showing against Donald Trump in the previous debate.
Biden, who is currently 81 years old, has gone viral for a myriad of moments — not just in the debate but throughout his presidency — in which opponents have questioned his aging and competence to run the country.
On top of all of this, former President Donald J. Trump — who was already leading in several polls — survived an assassination attempt on Saturday. Trump was in the middle of a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when attendees heard gunshots. The GOP Presidential nominee fell to the floor and was quickly surrounded by secret service members.
Trump rose to his feet and delivered a fiery message, shaking his fist and saying “fight” as he was escorted off the stage with blood streaming down his face from a reported gunshot wound to the ear. It was later reported that both the shooter and an attendee at the rally were killed.
TIME’s new cover: Donald Trump survives shooting with nation on edge https://t.co/eQxgKW1ezt pic.twitter.com/SwfZcm3V2z
— TIME (@TIME) July 14, 2024
President Biden, who was briefed with Vice President Kamala Harris, gave a statement condemning political violence, and it was also announced that he would be pausing his reelection advertisements.
Following the incident, Trump also offered a statement calling for unity.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed. In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”
Of course, the highly controversial election set to take place in a little more than three months is in the middle of all this.
Joe Biden and his relationship with Disney World
Disney’s Hall of Presidents is a beloved attraction at the Magic Kingdom, showcasing the animatronic figures of every U.S. president. Traditionally, the current sitting president is prominently featured at the front of the display, delivering a speech.
While Joe Biden is currently at the forefront of the show, things could quickly change. In fact, current polling suggests that Disney World will soon remove Biden from his current spot and transition Trump back into the position where the current President sits.
A current look at polls shows Trump leading in several battleground states. 270 To Win shows Trump with a 0.7% lead over Biden in the general election, but this poll was conducted prior to the assassination attempt, which many insiders believe could have a profound effect on the election.
“The election is likely to be a landslide. This probably reduces uncertainty,” Nick Ferres, chief investment officer at Vantage Point Asset Management, told Reuters.
Ferres noted historical proof of how the polls surged in favor of Ronald Reagan after an assassination attempt in 1981. Reagan would go on to win the 1984 election with a massive 525 electoral votes. Of course, it’s unclear just how far the polls could tilt in Trump’s favor, but it’s still expected that this will be a competitive election with few Americans on the fence about which side they will be choosing.
Currently, 270 To Win has Trump leading in several key states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and tie in Virginia. All of these polls were conducted prior to Saturday.
If former President Donald Trump were to win reelection, as most polls suggest is likely right now, his animatronic figure would be reinstated to the forefront, replacing the figure of President Joe Biden. In such a scenario, Biden’s animatronic would be moved to join the other former presidents in the background, maintaining the attraction’s commitment to accurately representing the current U.S. presidency.
As of now, it looks like there could be a new movement in the Hall of Presidents, but we won’t know anything for sure until Election Night.