Biden Completes Visit to Ukraine, May Announce 2024 Re-election Bid in April

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] As U.S. President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv ahead of the first anniversary of the Ukraine war, there is speculation that President Biden's bid for re-election could be officially announced as early as April.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Political media outlet Politico reported on the 22nd (local time) that this view is shared among Biden's close aides. President Biden also announced his candidacy in April 2019, one year before the 2020 presidential election. Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also declared their re-election bids in April, one year ahead of the election.

Unlike his political rival, former President Donald Trump, President Biden has not yet officially declared his candidacy. However, he has repeatedly hinted at his intention to seek re-election. In an interview with PBS on the 9th, he said about running again, "That's my intention, but I haven't firmly decided yet." At a White House press conference shortly after the midterm elections in November last year, he responded to related questions by saying, "I will make that decision in early 2023."

Initially, there were expectations that President Biden might announce his candidacy this month, but the discovery of classified documents in personal spaces such as his residence during his vice presidency and the start of a special prosecutor investigation reportedly delayed the announcement. Multiple sources confirmed, "The final decision was postponed due to these issues."

The Biden camp believes there is no need to rush the announcement. Given ongoing attacks from the Republican-controlled House of Representatives concerning his son Hunter Biden, it is interpreted that they are delaying entering full campaign mode. Additionally, there is a judgment that legislative achievements such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Chips and Science Act (CSA) will become more significant over time.

President Biden’s surprise visit to Kyiv ahead of the one-year mark of the Ukraine war has also highlighted his presence as a global leader defending democracy and rallying allies. While sending a strong warning message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, domestically, it reinforced the necessity of supporting Ukraine and emphasized his leadership, according to analyses.

At present, the possibility of President Biden seeking re-election is high. However, if President Biden decides not to run late in the process, it could put the Democratic Party in a difficult position. Accordingly, Politico reported that there are movements within the Democratic Party’s presidential hopefuls and major political donors to prepare a Plan B. A Democratic strategist said, "If President Biden does not announce his candidacy by June, some individuals will start to move."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.