Biden says he'd be "very fortunate" if he faced Trump again in 2024
Donald Trump and Joe Biden participate in the final presidential debate at Belmont University on Oct. 22, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Photo: Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
President Biden on Thursday waved off concerns about facing off against former President Trump in 2024, saying he'd be "very fortunate" if Trump ran again, CNN reports.
Why it matters: Trump has not formally made a bid for president, but he remains a pivotal figure in the GOP. A recent Wall Street Journal poll found that registered voters were split 45% to 45% in a hypothetical rematch between the two.
What he's saying: In between meetings with world leaders in Brussels, Biden was asked what he thought would happen to American foreign policy if someone else replaced him in office.
- He told reporters that he's not thinking about 2024, according to CNN.
- "I don't criticize anybody for asking that question. But the next election — I'd be very fortunate if I had that same man running against me," Biden said, adding that the upcoming midterms are his current priority.
- "We're a long way off in elections, a long way off. My focus of any election is on making sure that we retain the House and the United States Senate so that I have the room to continue to do the things that I've been able to do, in terms of grow the economy and deal in a rational way with American foreign policy and be the leader of the free world," he said.
The big picture: Biden traveled to Brussels this week to coordinate a plan with NATO allies in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.