Joe Biden, 80, has reportedly said he is ‘all in’ for a second run of the White House with an official statement expected in the coming weeks, the New York Post reported.
Biden who previously served as vice president under Barack Obama, took office following his victory in the 2020 election over Republican incumbent president Donald Trump.
Upon his inauguration the 80-year-old politician became the oldest president in American history and would be 86 by the end of his second term if he won.
He and senior aides are preparing to make the announcement for release in February – around the time of the State of the Union address to Congress, multiple sources told The Hill.
U.S. president Joe Biden has reportedly said he is ‘all in’ for a second run of the White House with an official statement expected in the coming weeks
Biden who previously served as vice president under Barack Obama, took office following his victory in the 2020 election over Republican incumbent president Donald Trump
‘I think it’s all about timing at this point,’ one Biden ally told The Hill on Saturday.
‘It seems like he’s all in. It’s not really ‘if’ he runs anymore.’
The president and his family are said to have decided his re-election bid during their Christmas trip to St. Croix, where they stayed in the ritzy tropical island home of wealthy business owners Bill and Connie Neville.
On Monday, the 80-year-old didn’t take questions from reporters as he boarded Air Force One with first lady Jill, 18-year-old grandaughter Natalie and 16-year-old grandson Hunter after a low-key week spent mostly in the luxury three-bedroom property with a private beach.
As he approached the plane’s steps he stopped to speak to the Nevilles to mark the end of the trip where rare public sightings included a round of golf with grandson Hunter, dinner at a local restaurant and a church service.
Biden’s return to Washington is met with new challenges ahead of him – with the Republicans taking control of the House of Representatives.
Biden, who is expected to run for a second term after winning following his campaign in 2020, (pictured) has hit his highest approval rating in more than a year at 43.3 percent in new polling
Upon his inauguration Biden, 80, became the oldest president in American history and if inaugurated a second time would be 86 by the end of his potential second term
House Republicans have threatened a litany of investigations, including into Biden’s son Hunter’s foreign business dealings.
Thanks to better than expected midterm results for the Democrats, the GOP will have just a small House majority, while Democrats maintain control of the Senate, even flipping a formerly held Republican seat in Pennsylvania.
Biden’s approval rating hit its highest in more than a year on Thursday, coming in at 43.3 percent in new polling. He did not break 43 percent in 2022 and hit his lowest point in July around 37 percent.
But, experts say, his current approval rating shouldn’t factor into his decision to run again this far out.
The plans have been kept under wraps however, while they waited for House Republicans to conclude their battle over their new Speaker of the House, one Democratic lawmaker said.
Biden was seen speaking to Bill and Connie Neville, the Democratic donor couple whose St Croix villa he stayed in for a low-profile seven days with members of his family
The date of the State of the Union speech is traditionally set by the House of Representatives – a task that will now fall to newly installed Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
McCarthy’s opening speech sparked uproar when he was finally sworn in as Speaker of the House following four days of chaos and a near-punch up on the House floor.
‘That was easy, huh?’ McCarthy began in his victory speech – shortly after U.S. Republican Mike Rogers had to be held back from attacking Rep. Matt Gaetz.
The U.S. president this weekend will visit El Paso, Texas, ‘to address border enforcement operations and meet with local officials, who have been important partners in managing the historic number of migrants fleeing political oppression and gang violence in Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua and Cuba,’ the official said.
Since becoming president, Republicans have hammered Biden on his handling of immigration and the persistent migrant crisis at the southern border, making it a top campaign issue in last year’s midterm elections.
Despite that pressure, Biden has resisted calls to actually visit the border.
Biden had already planned to visit Mexico City on Monday and Tuesday to meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The North American Leaders Summit will focus on climate change, migration, the environment, the economy and other topics, the White House said.
