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Biden Says Fate, Health and Trump Will Guide If He Runs in 2024

The administration has taken steps to quell speculation of who Biden’s potential successor might be.

Biden Says Fate, Health and Trump Will Guide If He Runs in 2024
U.S. President Joe Biden. [Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg]

President Joe Biden left the door open to ending his presidency after just one term, saying it’s up to “fate” but that he’d run again if he remains in good health and would be even more likely to do so if Donald Trump is his opponent.

Speaking to ABC’s “World News Tonight” in an interview broadcast Wednesday, Biden said he plans to seek re-election, before adding caveats.

“Yes, but look, I’m a great respecter of fate. Fate has intervened in my life many, many times,” Biden said. “If I’m in the health I’m in now, if I’m in good health, then in fact I would run again.”

Asked by anchor David Muir what he’d do if Trump were the nominee in 2024, Biden smiled. “You’re trying to tempt me now,” he said. “Sure. Why would I not run against Trump, being the nominee? That’d increase the prospect of running.”

The administration has taken steps to quell speculation of who Biden’s potential successor might be, including a joint trip early this month by two top potential rivals, Vice President Kamala Harris and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. They traveled to North Carolina to promote Biden’s infrastructure bill. 

The White House has maintained that Biden plans to run. “The president has every intention of running for re-election,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Dec. 13.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.