The presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, called corporate America "greedy as hell" in a new interview with Politico.

Discussing large companies and banks, he said "this is the second time we've bailed their asses out."

He also said states and cities needed more funding from future relief packages.

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The presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, called corporate America "greedy as hell" in a new interview with Politico's Michael Grunwald.

He criticized big companies and banks, saying "this is the second time we've bailed their asses out."

Biden's comments echo those of his former competitors in the Democratic primary, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who made criticisms of large banks and corporations a central part of their campaigns. His punchy criticisms signal a more progressive tone as he tries to appeal to voters who backed Sanders or Warren.

As vice president in the Obama administration, Biden was part of the most recent major bailouts from the federal government, which were done in response to the 2008-2009 financial crisis and later spurred the Occupy Wall Street movement criticizing the use of taxpayer money to prop up big banks.

Big banks are "only alive because of the American taxpayer," Biden said, adding that "we knew from the beginning that the big banks don't like lending to small businesses." In the latest relief efforts, larger companies seeking loans from banks to help recover from the novel coronavirus in many cases received special treatment from banks, while smaller businesses were left with fewer resources to get their loans.

Biden defended the Obama administration's oversight of its bailout, however. He said "there's no oversight" in the legislation signed by Trump, who Biden said "made it real clear he doesn't have any damn interest in being checked."

Biden continued: "The last thing he wants is anyone watching that $500 billion going to corporate America, for God's sake."

Earlier this month, Trump fired the inspector general who was expected to oversee the $2 trillion CARES Act.

Biden told Politico he thought state and local governments should have received money in the stimulus packages and should receive large amounts in coming legislation. He said he was "in constant conversation" with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about his priorities for coronavirus relief.