On Sunday, President Donald Trump demanded on Twitter that Joe Biden, the Democratic Presidential Candidate , take a drug test before their debate, after accusing Biden of using performance enhancing drugs in order to improve his public speaking.

“I will strongly be demanding a drug test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the debate on Tuesday night. Naturally I will agree to take one also. His debate performances have been record setting, UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy.”- President Donald Trump

Former Vice President Joe Biden stated that he intends on giving his debate answers in WORDS, and if the President thinks his best case is in urine he can have it.

Former White House physician, Ronny Jackson, agreed with President Trump’s demand saying, “Obviously something is going on with this man at this point. I think it is completely reasonable to ask if he is being medicated because there have been a couple of times he has come out and looked a little more energetic than he has in the last few months.”

This is not the first time Trump has accused a political rival of  drug use to try and discredit his opponents. For example, in the last election when facing Secretary Hillary Clinton, he commented that she was ‘getting pumped up’ before debates. 

To reinforce his point, he publicly challenged her via social media to take a drug test, however, his request was disregarded by her political advisors.

President Trump also appears to take pleasure in belittling and exposing particular individuals or groups weaknesses, in an attempt to encourage and accumulate negative opinions towards those groups that will ultimately work in his favor. 

These approaches may be political tactics used by President Trump to shift the more negative focus towards his presidential competitors. The real question is, is this really working?