Former US President Donald Trump is very likely to run again for the top post in 2024. And this is giving a serious headache to Joe Biden’s White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. He has warned Biden must not underestimate Trump’s chances of winning the 2024 Presidential polls.
CNN reported that during an interview on “Axios on HBO”, Klain said, “I wouldn’t want to estimate or underestimate Donald Trump as an opponent if he chooses to run.” In the interview, the White House Chief of Staff seemed to undermine Trump, but the inherent fear of Trump retaking the US Presidency in 2024 seemed to loom large.
Klain claimed that both the candidates would be judged on the basis of their record in office. He also claimed that Biden would have an impressive record by the end of his Presidential term.
The White House chief of staff said, “My experience, Mike, is that incumbent presidents are judged on their record.” He added, “President Trump had a bad record in 2020. Joe Biden is hopefully assembling a powerful record to run on if he runs for reelection in 2024.”
So, Klain tried to put on a brave face, but his remarks about the possibility of Trump winning the 2024 polls clearly suggest that he is nervous about a Trump comeback.
In fact, Trump has frequently suggested that he may run again for President in 2024. When asked about the prospect of running for President in 2024, the Republican told Fox News, “I say this: I am looking at it very seriously, beyond seriously.”
Meanwhile, Biden has also made it clear that he will seek re-election in the next presidential polls. In March, the sitting US President said, “The answer is yes, my plan is to run for reelection.” Biden added, “That’s my expectation.”
Yet, Klain had to warn him against underestimating Trump, because of Biden’s dismissive attitude towards his predecessor. Biden had got irritated by a question regarding Trump’s plan to run for President in 2024. When asked if he thought that Trump would contest again, a dismissive Biden had said, “I have no idea.” He added, “I have no idea if there will be a Republican Party.”
Biden’s words had reeked off overconfidence, complacence and a tendency to underestimate Trump. And to suggest that there might be no Republican Party by 2024 shows that Biden is getting really fanciful. Klain knows that Trump can easily demolish Biden’s campaign in 2024. And Biden’s arrogance is not really going to help him.
The sitting US President comes across as weak, incompetent and clumsy. With rising unemployment, a steep border crisis and declining US leadership in the world, Americans will look for a change in 2024. The White House Chief of Staff is thus having sleepless nights due to the lurking fear of Donald Trump coming back in 2024 in order to wrest power from Biden.