President Joe Biden reportedly regrets his decision to step out of the 2024 presidential race, believing he could have defeated President-elect Donald Trump, according to sources close to the White House cited by The Washington Post.
The report indicates Biden and his aides have privately reflected on his four years in office, with some expressing regret about his choice to withdraw from the race in July and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign.
Despite low poll numbers and a challenging debate performance that prompted pressure from within his party, Biden reportedly feels he could have prevailed over Trump in the election. However, he has avoided blaming Harris or her campaign for the outcome, sources said.
The outgoing president is also said to have regrets about appointing Merrick Garland as Attorney General. Privately, Biden has criticized Garland for being slow to prosecute Trump while permitting legal action against his son, Hunter Biden, on gun and tax-related charges. On December 1, Biden pardoned Hunter for any potential crimes dating back to 2014.
In the legal realm, several federal and state cases against Trump have collapsed since his re-election, raising concerns about the Justice Department’s handling of these matters during Biden’s term.
While Biden expressed regret over his performance in a June 27 debate against Trump, where he struggled to articulate his policies and respond to accusations, he does not regret participating in the debate. Despite his challenges, the president reportedly stands by his decision to face Trump directly, even as it led to mounting pressure from Democrats for him to step aside.
