Biden said he would be more likely to run in 2024 if Trump were his opponent

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WASHINGTON — President Biden has said he is eager to run again for election against Donald Trump in 2024 and has expressed regret that he did not act faster to buy Covid-19 tests at home for distribution to the public.

In an interview with ABC News aired Wednesday night, Mr. Biden, 79, said he plans to run for re -election if he stays healthy. “If I’m in good health now — if I’m in good health — then, in fact, I’ll run again,” he said.

Asked about running if that meant to face Mr. Trump, if he was the Republican nominee, Mr. Trump smiled. Biden and said, “You are trying to tempt me now. Of course. Why wouldn’t I run against Donald Trump, if he’s the nominee? That will increase the likelihood of running. “

Mr. Trump has said he is seriously considering another run as president, but he has not yet made a decision. A spokesman for Mr. Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Biden’s allies have repeatedly stressed his intentions to run for a second term. However, because of his age, some fellow Democrats have thought about whether Mr. Biden will run and which candidates might join, if he doesn’t.

The president also expressed public regret for the first time about not taking action earlier to distribute free at-home Covid-19 tests to the public. Amid rising criticism over the lack of trials in many parts of the country, Mr Biden announced on Tuesday that his administration was making plans to buy and distribute 500 million trials starting in January.

The Rapid home Covid-19 tests promise convenience and speed, but the accuracy of the tests depends on how and when you take it. WSJ’s Daniela Hernandez explains everything you need to know about home testing and how to get accurate results. Description: David Fang and Jacob Reynolds

“Hopefully I thought about ordering” half a billion home tests two months ago, Mr. Biden said.

The president defended his administration’s efforts to respond to the pandemic. “Nothing has been good enough,” he said, acknowledging that the administration should always strive to do more. But he said the country has come a long way since the start of the pandemic.

“Last Christmas, we were in a situation where we had significantly fewer vaccinated — people vaccinated — the emergency rooms were filled,” he said. “You’ve had serious backups in hospitals that are causing tremendous suffering. We’re in a situation right now where we have 200 million people who have been fully vaccinated.”

Mr. Biden has made fewer interviews with the national news media than his predecessors. He has made 15 other media interviews as president, which is fewer than the number of Mr. Trump and President Barack Obama in their first year in office, according to former CBS News reporter Mark Knoller, who maintains detailed records of the president’s activities.

Mr. Biden reiterated that his administration has no plans to require that passengers on domestic flights be fully vaccinated, as recommended by some public health officials.

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“It was being considered, but the recommendation I got was that it wasn’t necessary,” Mr. Biden said.

He added that he believes those responsible for the Jan. 6 unrest in the Capitol should be held accountable, even if that includes members of the Trump administration. “Wherever it goes,” he said, “those responsible must be held accountable.”

Write to Andrew Restuccia at [email protected]

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Appeared on December 23, 2021, print edition as ‘Biden Says He Will Run Again In 2024 If Healthy.’

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