President Biden will decide over the holidays whether to run in 2024, White House chief of staff Ron Klain said, adding that he expects Mr. Biden will seek a second term.
“When will the president make the decision?” Mr. Klain said Monday during the Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council Summit. “I expect it shortly after the holidays. But I expect the decision will be to do it.”
Mr. Biden has signaled that he will likely run for president again in 2024 but hasn’t formally declared his candidacy. In a post-midterm elections press conference, Mr. Biden said he plans to seek re-election but won’t make an official announcement until early 2023.
“Our intention is to run again, that’s been our intention, regardless of what the outcome of this election was,” Mr. Biden told reporters.
The president added that the final decision would depend on his health and discussions with his family. He said he would speak to his family about a second term over the holidays.
“My guess is it’ll be early next year that we make that judgment,” he said.
The president turned 80 last month, fueling questions about whether he should pursue a second term.
Mr. Biden said he has resisted formally declaring his candidacy because he wanted to avoid running afoul of election laws. Declaring himself as a candidate would have hampered his ability to raise cash for Democratic candidates in the midterm elections and then seek money from the same donors for a re-election campaign.
During a radio interview with Willie Moore Jr. last month, Mr. Biden strongly hinted he’s planning a re-election campaign. The president said he felt 30 years younger than his actual age.
“There’s so much we can do and we’re just getting started,” Mr. Biden said.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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