Obama bluntly tells Biden to "change election strategy"... aides feel 'uncomfortable'

Anxious About Trump's Momentum... Evaluated as a "Formidable Competitor"

Former U.S. President Barack Obama is reported to have advised President Joe Biden to strengthen his campaign team for the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November. This is due to concerns about the possibility of former President Donald Trump, who has recently shown strong momentum, winning the election.

The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 6th (local time) that former President Obama recently had a lunch at the White House to discuss election strategies with President Biden.

WP stated that former President Obama has long been uneasy about Trump's resilience. During a lunch with Biden last summer, Obama said, "Trump is a tougher competitor than many Democrats realize," adding, "His loyal base, conservative media ecosystem, and politically polarized public opinion work in his favor."

Former U.S. President Barack Obama
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

Due to these concerns, former President Obama has been actively involved in fundraising for Biden's campaign, reportedly helping to raise small donations amounting to about $4 million. The Biden campaign also released a fundraising video featuring former President Obama on the 4th.

Additionally, former President Obama advised that during his 2012 re-election campaign, having some key aides stationed at the campaign headquarters in Chicago rather than the White House contributed to his victory.

This contrasts with the current strategy where Biden’s close aides remain at the White House while being involved in major decisions at the campaign headquarters located in Wilmington, Delaware, over 100 miles (about 160 km) away. Because of this, some within the Democratic Party have expressed concerns about whether a campaign that requires White House approval for important decisions can respond promptly to the rapidly changing election environment.

Former President Obama said, "The campaign team should be empowered to make important decisions without going through the White House," adding, "Station key aides in Wilmington or appoint someone from the campaign team."

President Joe Biden of the United States
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

Former President Obama is also reported to have been frank with Biden’s aides. He said, "With Trump likely to be declared the winner of the Republican primary early on, the campaign needs to be more aggressive."

He further advised Biden to seek advice from the aides who managed his own campaigns. WP reported, "Biden’s aides sought opinions from Obama’s aides as advised, but there is also a sense of discomfort about the involvement of a former president."

WP added that Biden’s aides sharply pointed out, "Didn’t Hillary Clinton, who had Obama’s support in 2016, still lose to Trump?"

President Biden served as Vice President under the Obama administration for eight years and has built a close relationship with former President Obama. However, some of Biden’s close aides are reportedly still hurt by Obama’s support for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, rather than Biden, during the 2016 Democratic primary.

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