Feb 24, 2023 - Politics & Policy

First lady says Biden ready to run for re-election in 2024

Jacob Knutson

First Lady Jill Biden disembarking a plane at an airport in Nairobi, Kenya, on Feb. 24. Photo: Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images

First Lady Jill Biden told AP in an exclusive interview Friday that President Biden intends to run for re-election in 2024 and "pretty much" only has to choose a time and place for the formal announcement.

Why it matters: The first lady's comments are a strong indication Biden, who turned 80 in November, will announce a re-election campaign, as he and White House aides have previously suggested.

What they're saying: "He says he’s not done," Jill Biden told AP in an interview in Nairobi, which was a stop on her trip to Africa this week. "He’s not finished what he’s started. And that’s what’s important."

"How many times does he have to say it for you to believe it?" she said to the reporter.

The big picture: Biden previously said he would wait to decide on a re=election campaign until after the midterm elections, which went better than expected for Democrats. A White House aide also said his decision to run would be a family decision.

Former President Trump announced his 2024 presidential campaign in November 2022, setting up a potential rematch between the two.

Go deeper: Biden's new chief of staff to set a course for '24

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First lady says Biden ready to run for re-election in 2024

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