In a candid admission to Democratic donors on Tuesday, President Joe Biden revealed that he harbors uncertainty about seeking another term if his predecessor, Donald Trump, were not running for the White House. This remarkably frank assessment of his reelection motivation emerged as he anticipates a likely rematch with his 2020 rival.
Biden stated at a fundraiser held at a private residence outside Boston, “If Trump wasn’t running, I’m not sure I’d be running,” emphasizing the imperative for Democrats to prevent Trump from winning again.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that this comment caught senior Biden campaign officials and advisers by surprise, offering what might be the most direct insight into Biden’s decision-making for seeking reelection. In a candid admission
The revelation prompted a concerned reaction from a top campaign adviser who responded with a succinct “Yikes” upon learning of President Biden’s comments. The campaign swiftly attempted to downplay the significance of the president’s statement, framing it as a non-issue. They pointed out that Biden has consistently characterized Trump as a unique threat to the nation and highlighted that he had expressed similar sentiments during the 2020 campaign.
Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a national co-chair of Biden’s 2024 campaign, defended the president’s stance, stating, “President Biden said in 2020 he was running to restore the soul of our nation – he got into the race after Trump said what he did after Charlottesville – and he correctly views the former president as a unique threat to our democracy. President Biden beat Trump before and he will do it again.”
When asked later on Tuesday whether he would still be running if Trump wasn’t, Biden seemed to walk back his earlier comment, telling reporters at the White House, “I expect so, but look — he is running, and I have to run.”
The earlier comment came as Biden began a fundraising sprint Tuesday ahead of an expensive reelection race. He’s expected to raise more than $15 million over the course of five days through high-dollar fundraisers and grassroots efforts, a source with knowledge of the campaign’s fundraising said.