President Joe Biden expressed on Tuesday that he might have refrained from pursuing a re-election bid in 2024 if he were not faced with the prospect of competing against Donald Trump, citing the Republican's perceived unique threat to the United States.
During a fundraising event for his 2024 campaign near Boston, Biden conveyed this distinctive self-assessment, emphasizing the importance of preventing Trump from winning. The President's contemplation on his candidacy arises amidst growing concerns, even among staunch Democratic supporters, about his age, with Biden having turned 81 last month, making him the oldest occupant of the Oval Office in history.
Speaking at a Fox News town hall on Tuesday, Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, dismissed Biden's remarks as a scripted talking point that was strategically crafted.
Despite the speculation fueled by his comments, Biden later clarified during a White House interaction with reporters that he had no intention of dropping out of the race. When asked whether he would consider stepping aside if Trump decided against seeking a second term, Biden asserted that he was committed to the race, emphasizing, "Look, he is running, and I have to run."
Addressing the hypothetical scenario of Trump not being in the race, Biden expressed an expectation that he would still have chosen to run.
Throughout his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden often underscored that his decision to run was influenced, in part, by his concerns about then-President Trump's handling of various issues, including the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In his current bid for a second four-year term in the upcoming election, Biden is facing limited competition for the Democratic nomination and is reiterating his positioning of Trump as a threat to democracy. Trump, who is grappling with criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, has reciprocated by portraying Biden as a perilous autocrat.
The decision for Biden to announce his re-election bid in April followed weeks of contemplation, with considerations involving discussions with family and close confidants. It was reported that Biden privately believed neither Vice President Kamala Harris nor any other Democratic contender could effectively compete against Trump in the general election.
As Biden's aides increasingly perceive Trump's frontrunner status for the Republican presidential nomination as formidable, the President has been making repeated comments about Trump during a recent fundraising tour, expressing concerns about the risks to democracy.
Recent polling data has indicated Trump leading Biden in hypothetical matchups in key swing states and on the national level.
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