White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden is facing pressure from Democrats to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, but that Biden is determined to stay in.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that President Joe Biden is facing pressure from Democrats to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, but that Biden is determined to stay in.
Sullivan made the remarks in a fireside chat at the Aspen Ideas Festival. He said that some Democrats have told Biden that they do not think he can win re-election.
Sullivan: Biden Faces Pressure to Drop Out, but Staying in Race
"There are Democrats who have come to him and said, 'Look, you know, I don't think you can win. I don't think you can win the primary. I don't think you can win the general election,'" Sullivan said.
But Sullivan said that Biden is "very determined" to stay in the race.
"He believes that he is the best person to lead this country and he wants to continue to serve," Sullivan said.
Sullivan did not say who specifically had told Biden to drop out. But he said that Biden is "not going to be deterred by people who are telling him that he can't win."
"He's going to keep going and he's going to continue to make the case to the American people why he's the best person to lead this country," Sullivan said.
Biden has not yet announced whether he will run for re-election in 2024. But he has repeatedly said that he intends to do so.
In a recent interview with ABC News, Biden said that he is "not going to walk away" from the presidency.
"I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that we're successful," Biden said.
Biden's approval ratings have been low for much of his presidency. But he has seen a slight uptick in recent months.
A recent poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Biden's approval rating is now at 42%. This is up from 39% in May.
The poll also found that 64% of Americans believe that Biden is too old to be president.
Despite these challenges, Biden remains the favorite for the Democratic nomination in 2024.
No other Democrat has announced their candidacy for the nomination. And it is unclear whether any of Biden's potential challengers will be able to mount a serious challenge.
If Biden does run for re-election, he will be 82 years old on Election Day. This would make him the oldest person to ever be elected president of the United States.
Only one other president has been elected at the age of 80 or older. Ronald Reagan was 77 years old when he was elected to a second term in 1984.
Reagan suffered from Alzheimer's disease during his second term. And some Democrats have expressed concern that Biden may not be up to the demands of the job if he is elected to a second term.
But Sullivan said that Biden is "as sharp as a tack" and is "fully capable" of serving as president.
"He's got the energy, he's got the stamina, he's got the intellect," Sullivan said.
