Outgoing US President Joe Biden said on Friday that he believed he could have won a re-election against Republican Donald Trump, but chose to withdraw from the race for the sake of Democratic Party unity.
Biden, set to deliver his farewell address next week, also expressed confidence that Vice President Kamala Harris could have secured victory against Trump as well.
Biden’s Decision to Step Aside
During a news conference at the White House, Biden was asked if he regretted his decision to not seek re-election, and whether that move facilitated Trump’s return to power. Biden replied, “I don’t think so. I think I would have beaten Trump, could have beaten Trump and I think that Kamala (Harris) could have beaten Trump, would have beaten Trump.”
Biden explained that while doubts were raised within the party about his physical ability to continue running, he chose to step aside, feeling it was more important to unify the party than pursue another term, despite believing he could win.
Biden, reflecting on his presidency as the “greatest honor” of his life, shared that his decision to withdraw stemmed from a desire to prevent any internal divisions from affecting the party’s future prospects. He said, “It wasn’t about — I thought it was important to unify the party, and when the party was worried about whether or not I was going to be able to move even though I thought I could win again, I thought it was better to unify the party.”
The 82-year-old leader emphasized his desire not to be the cause of a disunified party losing the election, which ultimately led to his endorsement of Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate.
Harris’ Loss and the Republican Sweep
Despite Biden’s confidence in Harris’ abilities, the election results were unfavorable, as Trump secured a clean sweep for the Republican Party. Not only did the Republicans recapture the White House, but they also maintained their majority in the House of Representatives and gained control of the Senate.
Biden’s decision to exit the race and support Harris marked a significant turning point in the 2024 election, and his comments shed light on his thought process during a highly charged political environment.