Biden hits Trump while unveiling $2T climate plan

Joe Biden released a $2 trillion plan Tuesday aimed at combating climate change and spurring economic growth in part by overhauling America's energy industry, with a proposal to achieve entirely carbon pollution-free power by 2035.

Speaking near his home in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden framed his latest policy proposal as a sharp contrast with President Donald Trump on how he'd handle job creation, the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We won't be able to turn the corner and get American people back to work safely without presidential leadership. Mr. President. 'Open everything now' isn't a strategy for success. It's barely a slogan," Biden said.

"Do your job, Mr. President, because if we can't deal with a public health crisis, we can't deal with the economic crisis," he added.

Biden's climate and economic plan released Tuesday marks his latest effort to build out a legislative agenda with measures that could animate progressives who may be skeptical of the former vice president, who waged a more centrist campaign during the Democratic primary.

Biden said Trump and the Republicans have ignored climate change and embraced backward-looking policies.  He pledged to change course and boost the economy and job creation in the process.

"When Donald Trump thinks about climate change, the only word he can muster is hoax. When I think about climate change, the word I think of is jobs," he said.

Biden's plan places a heavy emphasis on updating America's infrastructure and includes investments in improving energy efficiency in buildings and housing as well as promoting production of electric vehicles and conservation efforts in the agriculture industry.

In his remarks, Biden ridiculed Trump for his frequent "infrastructure weeks," and said he knows how to actually "get it done."

"Seems like every few weeks when he needs a distraction from the latest charges of corruption in his staff or the conviction of high ranking members of administration and political apparatus, the White House announces, quote, its infrastructure week," Biden said. "But he's never delivered. He's never really even tried. Well, I know how to get it done."