President Joe Biden regrets withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race. He believes he could have defeated Donald Trump. Reports suggest party officials pressured him to step aside. Concerns about his debate performance against Trump also influenced his decision. The campaign faced dwindling support and funding.
In private, Biden told aides he still feels confident about his chances against Trump. However, he acknowledged challenges like low approval ratings and a poor debate performance. He withdrew on July 21, 2024, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate. Despite this, Harris lost to Trump by 2.2 million votes.
Biden has criticized his choice of Merrick Garland as Attorney General. He faulted Garland for delaying prosecution against Trump regarding the January 6 Capitol attack. Meanwhile, Garland pursued charges against Hunter Biden more aggressively. This delay, Biden believes, allowed Trump to avoid legal consequences during the campaign.
Tensions within the Democratic Party have also surfaced. Critics argue Biden’s late withdrawal left Harris with little time to prepare her campaign. Others feel his decision to run contradicted his earlier promise to serve only one term. Senator Richard Blumenthal noted that Biden’s candidacy disrupted plans to hand leadership to a new generation.
