As Biden works to return US citizens being held hostage abroad, Trump continues to praise dictators and undermine democracy.

President Joe Biden, through diplomacy, the aid of allies, and his focus on the job of serving the people of this country, was able to free hostages who were captured by Russia and its dictator Vladimir Putin. These individuals, who were guilty only of being American citizens or residents, are now free to be with family and enjoy the freedom that our country stands for. The normal reaction to this welcome turn of events would be to rejoice with them. But Donald Trump instead weirdly congratulated Putin, never mentioned the people who were freed by name, and failed to remember that he bragged that only he could get them home.

Trump’s behavior is consistent with his rejection of the bipartisan border deal that would have strengthened border security because it would not be in line with his personal goal, which is to win the election to stay out of prison. Trump fouls everything he touches, turning virtue into vice. He disparages the very ideas on which our nation was founded and will not relent until his corruption becomes normalized. This will not — this cannot — be a future anyone should want. President Kamala Harris will, with our help, make sure that the Trump vision never becomes reality.

This letter originally appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer.