Biden still thinks he would have beaten Trump
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Joe Biden at the White House on Jan. 5. Photo: Leigh Vogel/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Biden insisted in a new interview out Wednesday that he could have beaten President-elect Trump in the 2024 election, even as he admitted he was unsure that he had the stamina for another term.
Why it matters: Since Democrats' defeat, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' teams have reportedly blamed each other for the outcome.
Reality check: Biden's assessment that he could have beaten Trump would have required overcoming low approval ratings, a disastrous debate performance that raised questions about his mental fitness, and voters' persistently bleak views of the economy.
- Many Democrats have expressed anger at Biden's decision to seek reelection initially despite polls showing voters across the political spectrum expressing concerns about his age.
What he's saying: "It's presumptuous to say that, but I think yes," Biden told USA Today when asked if he believed he could have won.
- Biden added that his belief was based on polling he had seen.
- However, Biden was more circumspect when asked if he had the vigor to serve another four years in office, admitting: "I don't know."
- "Who the hell knows? So far, so good. But who knows what I'm going to be when I'm 86 years old?" the president added in the interview, which was conducted Sunday.
Flashback: Biden has been defiant about his decision to drop out of the race.
- In September, he told "The View" that he still believed he could have won against Trump if he'd stayed in the race.
Zoom out: Biden covered a wide range of topics in his USA Today interview, including the fact that he is still considering whether to issue preemptive pardons for figures like former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and former health adviser Anthony Fauci, whom could be targeted by Trump.
- Biden said the decision would come down to who Trump appoints to key administration roles, but noted that he had urged Trump during their Oval Office meeting to not "go back and try to settle scores."
- Trump, he added, had complimented some of the Biden administration's economic achievements. "He thought I was leaving with a good record," Biden said.
Go deeper: Timeline: Key moments that led to Biden's historic withdrawal
