Biden admits ‘if Trump wasn’t running, I’m not sure I’d be running’: President, 81, says Democrats ‘cannot let him win’ – even as polls show him TRAILING the Republican frontrunner
- President Joe Biden addressed donors at an event outside Boston on Tuesday
- “If Trump didn't run, I'm not sure I would run,” he told them
- Biden has stepped up his fundraising efforts as he tries to close the gap
President Joe Biden admitted to donors on Tuesday that he might not run for a second term if Donald Trump were not the likely Republican nominee.
The 81-year-old told supporters at a fundraising event outside Boston that the former president was a serious threat to democracy.
“If Trump didn't run, I'm not sure I would run,” he said.
“But we can't let him win for the sake of our country.”
However, Biden's approval ratings are underwater and a series of polls suggest he could lose to Trump.
![Biden admits 'if Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running': President, 81, says Democrats 'cannot let him win' - even as polls show him TRAILING the Republican frontrunner 1 President Joe Biden headed to Massachusetts on Tuesday for three fundraisers in Boston. “If Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I would be running,” he told supporters](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Biden-admits-if-Trump-wasnt-running-Im-not-sure-Id.jpg)
President Joe Biden headed to Massachusetts on Tuesday for three fundraisers in Boston. “If Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I would be running,” he told supporters
![Biden admits 'if Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running': President, 81, says Democrats 'cannot let him win' - even as polls show him TRAILING the Republican frontrunner 3 A survey of three key battleground states for DailyMail.com found Trump ahead in Arizona and Georgia, while Biden is in Wisconsin, showing the challenge he faces](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1701818669_810_Biden-admits-if-Trump-wasnt-running-Im-not-sure-Id.jpg)
A survey of three key battleground states for DailyMail.com found Trump ahead in Arizona and Georgia, while Biden is in Wisconsin, showing the challenge he faces
A survey of three key battlegrounds for DailyMail.com published on Monday found Trump on track to win back Arizona and Georgia, while Biden is ahead in Wisconsin.
The results show how Biden's coalition of liberal white voters and minorities may not hold together.
Even allies worry that his age – he is the oldest president in history – is a risk.
His campaign has tried to sell his age as a sign of wisdom and experience, and Biden himself tried to make light of it at another event in Boston on Tuesday.
He noted how he got 81 million votes in the 2020 election
“Almost like someone's age… It's hell to live to be 40 twice,” he joked.
But most of his comments spelled out exactly what would be at stake if Trump were to regain the presidency, describing how the former president had promised to eradicate “pests” in the country as he sought to “retaliate for his followers'.
He cited warnings about Trump from former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., calling her a “powerful voice.”
“American democracy — I give you my word as Biden — is at stake,” Biden said.
![Biden admits 'if Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running': President, 81, says Democrats 'cannot let him win' - even as polls show him TRAILING the Republican frontrunner 5 Former President Donald Trump is the clear frontrunner for the Republican 2024 nomination](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1701818671_964_Biden-admits-if-Trump-wasnt-running-Im-not-sure-Id.jpg)
Former President Donald Trump is the clear frontrunner for the Republican 2024 nomination
![Biden admits 'if Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running': President, 81, says Democrats 'cannot let him win' - even as polls show him TRAILING the Republican frontrunner 7 A recent New York Times/Siena College poll found Biden trailing in five of six states](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1701818672_397_Biden-admits-if-Trump-wasnt-running-Im-not-sure-Id.jpg)
A recent New York Times/Siena College poll found Biden trailing in five of six states
And he managed to elicit chuckles from the audience as he added: “He didn't even show up for my inauguration. I can't say I was disappointed, but he didn't even show up.'
Biden has placed great value on the fact that he defeated Trump in 2020 and can do so again in 2024.
However, battleground and national opinion polls show he still has some catching up to do.
An average of Real Clear Politics polls gives Trump a two-point lead in national surveys with 11 months to go until the election.