US President Joe Biden on Thursday condemned the "extremism" of Donald Trump and his supporters, accusing them of undermining the "foundations" of American democracy, in a direct and rare attack on his Republican predecessor.

Biden said in a prime-time address to the nation that "Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the foundations of our republic," referring to Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again (MAGA)." The Democratic president added that "equality and democracy are under attack" in the United States.

Biden considered that the former president and those who support his ideology "Make America Great Again" "do not respect the Constitution. They do not believe in the rule of law. They do not recognize the will of the people."

In a move with great symbolic significance, the White House chose for Biden to deliver his speech near the building where the United States Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution were ratified.

On a more tactical level, the state of Pennsylvania in the east of the country, where Philadelphia is located, may hold the key to winning the November legislative midterm elections. Biden is visiting this state three times this week.

The 79-year-old president, aiming to motivate Democratic voters and persuade the undecided, said that representatives of the far-right "applaud anger. They feed on chaos. They do not live in the light of truth but in the shadow of lies."

Biden emphasized on Thursday that "there is no place for political violence" in his country. He said, "There is no place for political violence in America. Period."

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed on Wednesday during her daily press conference that Biden will adopt an offensive tone, as the 79-year-old Democratic president "sees that the threat of extremists weighs heavily on our democracy."

This threat is named "MAGA Republicans" or "extreme MAGA," who follow the "Make America Great Again (MAGA)" line, Trump's slogan.

The spokeswoman added, "They do not respect the rule of law," recalling in a rather unusual step in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, the names of some Republican lawmakers who have called for violence against public figures.

Jean-Pierre added, "The president sees, and this is why he is delivering his speech at prime time, that the majority of Americans believe we must (...) save the core values of our country."

In doing so, Biden reiterates the emphasis he began in August 2017 in an article published by The Atlantic magazine.

He wrote that day after the far-right march in Charlottesville, Virginia in the southern United States, "We are witnessing a battle over the soul of the nation," which led him to run for office, according to him.

Once in the White House, the veteran politician saw that the "battle" should be fought through dialogue, especially with well-meaning conservatives, and through concrete policies on economic and social levels that support the middle class.

But facing the Republican Party, over which Trump maintained great control, he put the approach of reconciliation aside. Indeed, every favorable poll pushes Biden to deliver stronger blows. He recently accused Trump supporters of adopting a "quasi-fascist" doctrine.

The latest poll conducted by Quinnipiac University on Wednesday shows him with 40 percent support. Although this percentage remains low, it is an improvement compared to 31 percent in July.

On the other hand, another poll showed that 67 percent of Americans now consider the democratic system to be at risk, compared to 58 percent in January.

Democrats are now dreaming of achieving a success in the November elections. Usually, this midterm election involves renewing all seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate, which is unfavorable to the ruling party.

However, the inflation front is calming down somewhat while Congress has passed a series of reforms promoted by Biden as investigations and disclosures about Trump are underway, particularly concerning the abortion ban issue, which seems to backfire on the Republican Party.

All these points give the president’s party, which is facing extreme difficulty in maintaining the majority in the House of Representatives, hope of retaining or even strengthening the majority in the Senate.

This passes through the state of Pennsylvania. Biden headed there on Tuesday and is expected to return on Monday to celebrate Labor Day alongside Democratic candidate John Fetterman. Trump will visit the state on Saturday to support his candidate Mehmet Oz.