Biden says he is more likely to run in 2024 if Trump is his opponent

BY ANDREW RESTUCCIA | UPDATED DEC 22, 2021 09:17 PM EST

In a uncommon tv interview, the president additionally says he regretted not appearing sooner to get free at-home Covid-19 checks to the general public

President Biden stated he’s desperate to run for reelection towards Donald Trump in 2024 and expressed remorse that he didn’t act extra shortly to buy at-home Covid-19 checks to distribute to the general public.

In an interview with ABC Information that aired on Wednesday evening, Mr. Biden, 79, stated he deliberate to run for reelection if he stays wholesome. “If I’m within the well being I’m in now—if I’m in good well being—then, in reality, I’d run once more,” he stated.

Requested about working if that meant dealing with off towards Mr. Trump, if he’s the Republican nominee, Mr. Biden smiled and stated, “You’re attempting to tempt me now. Certain. Why would I not run towards Donald Trump, if he’s the nominee? That will improve the prospect of working.”

Mr. Trump has stated he’s significantly contemplating one other run for president, however hasn’t decided. A spokeswoman for Mr. Trump didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Mr. Biden’s allies have repeatedly underscored his intentions to run for a second time period. Nevertheless, due to his age, some fellow Democrats have speculated about whether or not Mr. Biden will run and which candidates would possibly bounce in, if he doesn’t.

The president additionally publicly expressed remorse for the primary time about not appearing sooner to distribute free at-home Covid-19 checks to the general public. Amid mounting criticism over an absence of checks in lots of components of the nation, Mr. Biden introduced on Tuesday that his administration was planning to buy and distribute 500 million such checks beginning in January.

“I want I had thought of ordering” half-a-billion at-home checks two months earlier, Mr. Biden stated.

The president defended his administration’s efforts to answer the pandemic. “Nothing’s been ok,” he stated, acknowledging that the administration ought to at all times be attempting to do extra. However he stated the nation had come a good distance because the starting of the pandemic.

“When final Christmas, we have been in a scenario the place we had considerably fewer vaccinated—individuals vaccinated—emergency rooms have been crammed,” he stated. “You had critical backups in hospitals that have been inflicting nice difficulties. We’re in a scenario now the place we have now 200 million individuals absolutely vaccinated.”

Mr. Biden has accomplished fewer interviews with nationwide information media than his predecessors. He has accomplished 15 different media interviews as president, far fewer than the quantity Mr. Trump and President Barack Obama did of their first yr in workplace, in line with former CBS Information reporter Mark Knoller, who retains detailed data of presidential actions.

Mr. Biden once more stated his administration has no plans to require that passengers on home flights be absolutely vaccinated, as some public well being officers have advisable.

“It’s been thought of, however the advice I’ve gotten is it’s not essential,” Mr. Biden stated.

He added that he believes these accountable for the Jan. 6 riot on the Capitol needs to be held to account, even when that features members of the Trump administration. “Regardless of the place it goes,” he stated, “these accountable needs to be held accountable.”