President Biden told a room full of Democrat megadonors that he does not believe he would be running for a second time if former President Donald Trump wasn’t also running.
Biden travelled to Boston on Tuesday to meet with dozens of wealthy Democrat donors across multiple events in Boston. Once there, he was greeted by pro-Palestine protesters who accused him of “genocide” as they marched outside one event venue.
According to a report from CNN, the president provided a candid reflection on his desire, or lack thereof, to seek a second term in the White House. “If Trump wasn’t running, I’m not sure I’d be running,” he said, adding that Democrats “cannot let him win.”
The remark suggested that President Biden would not be seeking a second term if he was not in line for a likely rematch with former President Trump. He has repeatedly framed the election as a defense of “democracy” from “extreme MAGA Republicans” while meeting with donors.
While in Boston, the president will be attending three separate fundraisers with high-profile donors as he gears up for the general election next year. Singer-songwriter James Taylor will be hosting an event later this evening with tickets going as high as $7,500. The fundraisers are expected to add millions to the president’s war chest.
“Trump’s not even hiding the ball anymore. He’s telling us what he’s going to do. He’s making no bones about it,” Biden said during one event.
The president — who has repeatedly referred to his political opponents as “extreme” and directed his DOJ to jail hundreds of non-violent January 6 protesters — framed Trump as an authoritarian who would seek “revenge” on his political opponents once in office.
Last quarter, Biden and Democrats reported $71 million in campaign fundraising, outpacing his GOP rivals, though still lagging behind former Presidents Donald Trump and Barrack Obama at this point in their respective re-election bids.
While Biden attempts to catch up with his predecessors, his re-election campaign has spent record amounts on off-year ad spending by an incumbent, according to data compiled by AdImpact. In total, the campaign has spent roughly $45 million on pro-Biden advertising in 2023.