Trump, Who Bragged About Grabbing Women's Genitals, Mocks Joe Biden Over Inappropriate Behavior — and Biden Claps Back

In a surreal tweet on Thursday, President Donald Trump mocked former Vice President Joe Biden after several women came forward to say that Biden had behaved inappropriately around them over the years, invading their personal space and touching them in ways that left them feeling uncomfortable.

For Trump — who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct and assault by more than a dozen other women, all of which he denied — it was fodder for his favorite political tactic: trolling. In the coming weeks, Biden is widely expected to launch a bid against Trump for the presidency.

The president on Thursday released a short clip from a longer video that Biden had posted on Wednesday in response to the controversy over his behavior.

In the clip tweeted by Trump, a picture of Biden crudely stalks up behind the real Biden as he speaks to the camera before rising behind Biden’s back, hands on his shoulders. The punchline, such as it is, is clear: Biden can’t resist even creeping himself out.

Trump captioned the post, “WELCOME BACK JOE!”

“I see that you are on the job and presidential, as always,” Biden later replied to him on Twitter.

RELATED: Joe Biden Vows to Respect Personal Space Following Accusations of Inappropriate Behavior

Approximately a half-dozen women have come forward in the media in recent days to say that Biden’s past interactions with them have been uncomfortable and boundary-crossing, with behavior that included back caresses and surprising forehead touches.

Speaking with the Washington Post, one woman said, “I do not consider my experience to have been sexual assault or harassment.” Still, she said, “It was the kind of inappropriate behavior that makes many women feel uncomfortable and unequal in the workplace.”

The first woman to speak out, a Nevada lawmaker named Lucy Flores, said last week that Biden touched her shoulders and kissed the back of her head without consent during an event in 2014.

On Wednesday Biden released a video acknowledging the discomfort he caused. (Biden’s reps have not responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment; a spokesman declined to comment to the Post on specific women’s stories, instead referring to his video.)

“Today, I want to talk about gestures of support and encouragement I’ve made to women and some men that have made them uncomfortable,” he said.

RELATED VIDEO: Story Behind the Story — PEOPLE Reporter Speaks Out on Trump Sexual Assault

“In my career, I’ve always tried to make a human connection — that’s my responsibility, I think,” Biden continued, explaining that he often will “shake hands, hug people, or grab men and women by the shoulders and say, ‘You can do this.’ ”

“I worked my whole life to empower women,” he said. “So the idea that I can’t adjust to the fact that personal space is important, more important than it’s ever been, is just not thinkable. I will.”

Biden also tweeted: “Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I’ve heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That’s my responsibility and I will meet it.”

RELATED: Joe Biden Says ‘Expressions of Affection’ ‘Not Once — Never’ Came from Inappropriate Intentions

Trump’s mockery of Biden brings into relief the differences between the allegations against them: Former PEOPLE reporter Natasha Stoynoff said Trump forcibly kissed her during a 2005 interview. “Within seconds he was pushing me against the wall and forcing his tongue down my throat,” she recalled in 2016.

Summer Zervos, who is suing Trump for defamation, said he kissed and groped her without consent in 2007. Alva Johnson, a former Trump campaign staffer, said he forcibly kissed her in 2016. Various other women have accused Trump of groping them.

Trump has vigorously denied the sexual misconduct allegations.

He notoriously bragged about touching women without permission during a 2005 segment on Access Hollywood, audio of which was leaked to the Post before the 2016 election.

The president said then: “I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. … When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the p—-. You can do anything.”