A New Issue Flares in the 2024 Race: Campus Protests

Protests and arrests on college campuses exploded into the forefront of the presidential race this week, opening up a new line of attack for Republicans and forcing President Biden to directly address an issue that has divided the liberal wing of his party.

With Donald J. Trump largely stuck in a New York City courtroom for one of his criminal trials, Republicans have tried to use the protests as a political cudgel and a literal backdrop to attack Mr. Biden, casting him as weak and unable to keep control of the country.

For weeks, the White House has largely resisted wading into the fray, steering clear of the protests engulfing campuses over Israel’s war in Gaza. Never one to be swept up in student movements, Mr. Biden had left any comments about the rapidly evolving situation to press officers, for the most part. His White House conducted no public outreach to university administrators or to protesting students.

But as clashes on some campuses became increasingly destructive and arrests mounted across the country, Mr. Biden increased the distance between himself and some of the more radical activism on campuses. In remarks on Thursday, he struck a balance between defending free speech and describing what he saw as the limits of acceptable protest.

“Dissent is essential to democracy,” Mr. Biden said in brief comments at the White House. “But dissent must never lead to disorder or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester and their college education.”

The scope of the statement was limited. The president made clear he had no plans to change his Middle East policy because of the protests. When asked whether the National Guard should intervene, he quickly responded, “No.” And he did not address