In a candid and profanity-laced critique on Thursday's episode of "Choice Words with Samantha Bee," far-left podcaster Jennifer Welch expressed deep frustration with former President Joe Biden, accusing him of failing the country by not prosecuting then-President Donald Trump during his term. Welch, host of the podcast "I've Had It," lamented what she sees as a critical missed opportunity by Biden and former Attorney General Merrick Garland to hold Trump accountable for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
"And then my brain goes to 'g--d---' it, Joe Biden f---ed us," Welch said during the interview. "He f---ed us so hard. Oh my God. Because Merrick Garland should have prosecuted him, right?" Her remarks, which quickly drew attention from conservative media outlets, highlight growing discontent among some progressive voices within the Democratic Party over the pace and scope of legal actions against Trump leading up to his 2024 election victory.
Welch's comments come amid reflections on Trump's return to the White House following his win in the November 2024 presidential election. She described Trump's re-election as "unfathomable," particularly in light of the events of January 6, when a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., disrupting the certification of Biden's 2020 victory. The riot resulted in five deaths, including one Capitol Police officer, and led to more than 1,400 arrests and hundreds of convictions, according to the Department of Justice.
Despite acknowledging Biden's accomplishments, such as the CHIPS and Science Act signed into law in August 2022 to boost U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in November 2021 to fund nationwide improvements in roads, bridges, and broadband, Welch argued that these paled in comparison to the need to confront what she called "fascism at the door." "Did he do the CHIPS Act? Did he do the Infrastructure Act? Did he do all of those things? Yes. And all of those are great," she said. "But the biggest threat now is that we had fascism at the door."
Central to Welch's ire is the timeline of the Justice Department's investigations into Trump. Garland appointed special counsel Jack Smith in November 2022 to probe Trump's handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and alleged attempts to subvert the 2020 election. This came after Trump announced his 2024 candidacy in November 2022, a move Garland cited as a factor in naming an independent prosecutor to avoid perceptions of political interference.
Critics like Welch, however, contend that the January 6 House select committee's final report, released in December 2022, provided ample evidence to act sooner. The committee, which included testimonies from Trump aides and law enforcement, detailed how Trump pressured officials to find voter fraud and encouraged supporters to march on the Capitol. "You should have said, 'Look, you're going to be independent, but if you're not interested in putting the people who paid for this in jail,'" Welch told Bee, referring to Biden's instructions to Garland.
Welch also faulted the DOJ for not pursuing the "funders" and "planners" of the January 6 events more aggressively. "And so like after that, the fact that the DOJ didn't take that seriously, that Biden didn't tell Garland full tilt, follow the law, follow the facts, but Jack Smith wasn't appointed for two years," she added. While Smith's investigations led to federal indictments against Trump in August 2023 for election interference and in June 2023 for mishandling classified documents, the cases were slowed by legal challenges and ultimately dismissed or paused after Trump's 2024 win.
Welch is not alone in her criticism. Mehdi Hasan, another prominent left-leaning commentator and host of the podcast "Zeteo," has vowed he will "never" forgive Biden for not "weaponizing" the DOJ to bring Trump to trial before the election. Hasan's remarks, reported in media coverage earlier this year, echo a sentiment among some Democrats that a preemptive prosecution might have altered the electoral landscape.
Even within the Biden administration, there were reported tensions over the pace of the probes. According to reports from outlets like The New York Times in 2023, Biden himself grew frustrated with Garland's deliberate approach, urging faster action behind the scenes. However, White House officials maintained that the president respected the DOJ's independence, a principle enshrined to prevent politicization of federal law enforcement.
Fox News Digital, which first reported on Welch's comments, reached out to Biden's office for a response but did not receive an immediate reply. The former president's team has historically defended the administration's record on accountability, pointing to over 1,000 January 6 defendants prosecuted under Biden's watch. Yet, for figures like Welch, the absence of charges against Trump and his inner circle remains a glaring omission.
Beyond her Biden critique, Welch has been vocal about other Democratic shortcomings. Last month, she accused California Governor Gavin Newsom of "political suicide" for urging the party to adopt a more "culturally normal" stance, a comment made during a discussion on progressive strategies post-election. She has also called out Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York for not doing enough to block Trump's agenda during his first term.
The podcaster's appearance on Bee's show, which premiered its second season in October 2024, underscores a broader reckoning within left-leaning circles. Bee, a comedian and former host of TBS's "Full Frontal," has used her platform to dissect political failures, often with guests who share unfiltered takes on the Democratic Party's direction. Welch's episode, taped in New York City, aired amid ongoing debates about how Democrats can regroup after Trump's victory, which saw him secure 312 electoral votes to Kamala Harris's 226, according to certified results from December 2024.
Looking ahead, Welch and her co-host Angie "Pumps" Sullivan have expressed fears on their podcast that Trump's second term could pave the way for even more extreme figures. In a recent episode of "I've Had It," they warned of a "diabolical" successor potentially surpassing Trump's policies on issues like immigration and civil rights. This anxiety is shared by many in the progressive sphere, where the unprosecuted January 6 events are seen as a cautionary tale of institutional hesitation.
As the new Trump administration prepares to take office on January 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C., voices like Welch's are amplifying calls for Democrats to adopt a more confrontational posture. Whether this translates into policy shifts or internal party reforms remains to be seen. For now, her blunt assessment of Biden's legacy—"I like Joe Biden. I was so excited when he won. But he had one important appointment"—captures a moment of raw disillusionment in a polarized political landscape.
The fallout from Welch's remarks has rippled through media discussions, with conservative commentators highlighting them as evidence of left-wing infighting. Meanwhile, supporters of Biden point to the former president's role in restoring democratic norms after January 6, including bolstering election security measures through executive orders in 2021. As investigations into past events wind down under the incoming administration, the debate over accountability continues to shape narratives on both sides of the aisle.