Biden says he’s even more likely to run for reelection if Trump also decides to run in 2024

• Joe Biden said the chance to run against Donald Trump in 2024 would increase his likelihood of running again.
• The president told ABC News’ David Muir that he plans to run for reelection if he’s in good health.
• “But look, I’m a great respecter of fate. Fate has intervened in my life many, many times,” he said.

President Joe Biden is already preparing for a possible rematch against former President Donald Trump come 2024.

In a wide-ranging, sit-down interview with ABC News anchor David Muir, Biden confirmed that he plans to run for a second term in 2024.

“Yes,” Biden answered. “But, look — I’m a great respecter of fate. Fate has intervened in my life many, many times.”

“If I’m in the health I’m in now, if I’m in good health, then in fact, I would run again,” he added. 

Before being elected last year, the president told Muir he “absolutely” planned to serve eight years as president. 

And a potential repeat of the contentious 2020 election, in which Biden face off against Trump, would not discourage the current president from running again, he told Muir. In fact, Biden said the opportunity would incite him even more.

“Why would I not run against Donald Trump if he were the nominee?” Biden said. “That would increase the prospect of running.”

—Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) December 23, 2021

Biden was the oldest president ever elected in November 2020 after he beat Trump by more than 7 million votes in a national election that saw record-breaking turnout for both candidates. 

In the year since his loss, Trump has continued to cast doubt on his defeat, staging several failed attempts to overturn the election results, despite the lack of any widespread voter fraud.

In recent months, Trump has made several comments teasing a possible 2024 run. In a Fox Business interview earlier this month, Trump continued to float a potential campaign.

“I think if I run, I’ll get it,” he said. “Look, I have a 94, 95% even, in the CPAC, I had a 98% approval rating. So if I decide to run, I’ll get it very easily.”

“Most people have said if I run, they won’t run against me, so I think that’s good,” he added.

But several of his former allies have raised doubts about Trump’s follow-through. Ex-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, former national security advisor John Bolton, and Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen have all suggested Trump is too afraid of losing to Biden a second time to stage a full-fledged campaign. 

But if the former president does decide to take on Biden in 2024, the current president said he’s eager for the opportunity.

“You’re trying to tempt me now,” Biden said in response to Muir’s question about Trump.

In the rest of the exclusive White House interview, Biden and Muir discussed a slate of topics, including COVID-19 testing shortages, the status of the Build Back Better package, and the ongoing status of the pandemic.