Biden on beating Trump: ‘I may not be the only one’

President Biden on Wednesday suggested that he “may not be the only one” who could beat a Trump campaign in 2024 when asked he if stood by the belief that he’s the only candidate who could once again top his predecessor.

“I may not be the only one,” Biden said when asked if he stood by the notion that he’s “the only one” to beat Trump in 2024. “But, I know him well and I know the danger he presents to our democracy and we’ve been down this road before.”

The president, in his first press conference since announcing his reelection campaign on Tuesday, said that decision is not solely based on Trump running. The press conference at the White House was a joint one alongside South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol.

“Yeah, I think I still would be running if he wasn’t. I do know him well, he’s not hard to know. You know him too,” Biden said to reporters. “There’s more to finish the job.”

Biden has long cast himself as the Democrat best positioned to beat Trump and who has already beaten him once before. Trump launched his 2024 campaign in November and so far has had been leading the polls in the Republican presidential primary.

Biden’s campaign announcement made it clear that he is laser focused on preventing Trump from returning to the White House and with no formidable Democratic primary challengers, he is taking direct aim at the former president.

Biden, 80, has faced questions over his age and whether he is up for a full campaign season as well as four more years in office. He would be 86 years old at the end of a second term.

On swirling questions about his age, Biden said, “there’s more to do and with regard to age, I can’t even say—I guess how old I am—I can’t even say the number. It doesn’t register with me.” 

“They’re going to judge whether or not I have it or don’t have it,” Biden said about voters. “I respect them taking a hard look at it… I took a hard look at it before I decided to run. And, I feel good, I feel expected about the prospects.”

The president also addressed his polling — in which his recent approval ratings remain in the low 40s — and said that “every body running for reelection at this time has been in this position.”

“You’re making it sound like Biden’s really underwater,” he said, adding that there are more positive polling numbers about his accomplishments, like passing the CHIPs and Science Act, creating jobs, and dealing with the climate crisis.