The majority of the undecided voters in the focus group said they'd vote for Donald Trump if the election were held today
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Independent voters from around the country had scathing remarks to describe President Biden in a focus group published Tuesday, with most admitting they are leaning toward former President Trump in 2024 despite their own derisive assessments of him.
The New York Times spoke with 13 undecided, independent voters at length about the two leading candidates and the issues most important to them heading into the election. The voters, ranging from 22-64 years old, were most concerned about the economy, citing the rising costs of groceries and other bills. Of 13 voters, 12 said they would base their vote on this issue, and 11 of them said they were leaning toward Trump in the election.
Others were "deeply troubled by the crisis at the southern border, and some were concerned about the Israel-Gaza war and disliked U.S. aid to other countries," The Times reported.
When asked what they thought about Biden, the voters didn't hold back in their blunt assessments.
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Independent voters in a focus group gave a blistering assessment of President Biden's leadership and his performance in office. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"He’s a little bit senile, and I do think if you can’t do the job, it’s time to step down," Natalie, 22, remarked.
"I think he’s unfit for the presidency. A president should be the commander in chief. And he does not appear to be a capable commander in chief," Richard, 36, said.
North Carolina counselor Kim, 43, called Biden a "puppet."
"That’s because I feel like he really tap-dances. I don’t know what he’s done. It just seems like he’s just throwing things out there to please almost anyone," she claimed.
Alabama mother Yalena, 22, also felt she couldn't trust the president.
"The word that immediately came up was ‘disingenuous,’" she told The Times. "Nothing that is said really connects with me. I don’t feel like I’m being told the truth. I don’t feel like I’m being told anything upfront. I was just so disappointed — with the ounce of hope I had left — when we just started pouring money into the Israel conflict," she added.
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Some voters told The New York Times they couldn't trust President Biden because he had failed to deliver on promises about student loan forgiveness, for example. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Voters also had negative things to say about Trump that were largely centered on their perceptions of his personality, calling the former president "egotistical," a "narcissist" and "disastrous."
Despite these reservations, 11 of the 13 voters said they'd vote for Trump over Biden if the election were held today.
"Donald Trump did a better job. Joe Biden, I mean, I feel like I don’t have a president," Yalena said. She credited the former president with "starting a conversation" on immigration.
"Sure, it was divisive, and sure, it really wasn’t the most productive, but it really highlighted problems and the divisiveness that was already hidden inside of our country," she continued.
Some voters in the focus group weren't convinced there was anything Biden could do to win their vote.
"I don’t know what he could say, in my opinion, just because we’ve been a disaster since he’s been there," Meaghan, 36, remarked.
Independent undecided voters told The New York Times they would vote for Donald Trump if the election were held today. (Getty Images )
"Take a look at what’s happening with the economy. Look at it for real with your eyes and not all your people around you," Robin, 59, from New Hampshire added.
Even one of the two voters who said he'd vote for Biden over Trump if the election were held that day admitted Biden wasn't "inspiring, at all."
"There’s not much you could basically tell him other than just come up with great policies for the country," Henry, a consultant from Georgia, confessed.
When asked if their vote would be swayed if Trump was convicted on the many charges he's facing across different cases, the participants who responded said the outcome of his trials didn't matter to them.
"To me, it doesn’t affect anything. His life, he puts it right out there. I’m sick of hearing it, but it’s him. So if I’m going to vote for him, that’s part of what I accept," Robin said.
Some undecided independent voters said the outcome of Trump's trials wouldn't sway their vote. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
"I’ve already formed my opinion regarding Trump, so it wouldn’t hurt or help my opinion," Lorraine, 56 added.
The majority of the focus group also expressed they were anxious and worried about the upcoming election. Some voters said they felt the country was headed in the wrong direction and leaders had failed to represent Americans' interests.
"Like no matter who gets voted into office, I think our options suck either way, and I don’t really see any progress," Natalie confessed.
A Fox News poll from December found Trump leading Biden among young voters by a 13-point margin. However, the majority of Americans feel both candidates – Trump is 77 and Biden is 81 – are too old to serve another term as president, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll.
Kristine Parks is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Read more.
