Trump’s press secretary said in 2015 Republicans would ‘run into problem’ if Biden stood against Trump

McEnany described Biden as ‘funny and likeable’ in comparison to ‘cold and sombre’ Clinton

Donald Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, reportedly warned in 2015 that Joe Biden would be a “problem” as an election opponent.

Ms McEnany also praised the Democratic presidential nominee as a “man of the people” who was more “likeable” than Mr Trump, as both men considered a run for the White House.

Those remarks were unearthed by CNN this week, and date back to interviews Ms McEnany made in 2015, when she was a Republican strategist and political commentator.

She told local New York radio station AM970: "I think the Republicans run into a problem if it is Joe Biden and if it is maybe a Trump on the other side.”

"Because Joe Biden, one of the things he is remarkable at is really kind of being a man of the people and resonating with middle class voters,”

"Feeling like - coming off as human. His gaffes - as much as we make fun of them - to a certain extent they make him look human. So not, since he's likable.”

Ms McEnany, who has openly criticised Mr Biden since she became White House press secretary in April 2020, said in those previous interviews that Mr Biden would have been the tougher election opponent in 2016.

"I think at the end of the day, probably Joe, although if Trump is against Joe, I think the juxtaposition of kind of the man of the people and kind of this tycoon, is a problem," she said.

"Although Donald Trump's remarkably coming off as a man of the people despite being this wealthy business tycoon," she added.

According to CNN, the now-White House press secretary went on to label Mr Biden as “funny and likeable” in comparison to a “cold and sombre” Hillary Clinton, who did go on to lose to Mr Trump in 2016.

Mr Biden, who went on to become the 2020 Democratic nominee, now faces the same test against Mr Trump next week.