Donald Trump Sympathizes with Biden Not Wanting to Quit: 'He's Got an Ego'

Donald Trump suggested he sympathizes with President Joe Biden's reluctance to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election, commenting "it's hard to give it up that way" during an appearance on Sean Hannity's Fox News show on Monday.

Speaking to Hannity, Trump, who has largely remained silent as concern over the age and cognitive ability of 81-year-old Biden increased, said the president has "got an ego and he doesn't want to quit."

Discussion around Biden's fitness for a second White House term surged following his first presidential debate with Trump on June 27 in Atlanta, during which he repeatedly appeared to lose his train of thought. In response some Democrats, including members of Congress, have urged Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race—though the president insists he is staying put.

Referring to Biden during his interview with Hannity, Trump said: "It looks to me like he may very well stay in, he's got an ego and he doesn't want to quit, he doesn't want to do that, it looks to me like that's what he wants."

Trump went on to suggest Biden's wife, first lady Jill Biden, and son Hunter Biden could be pushing for the president to run for a second term in November. He said: "I think Jill would like to see him stay, she's having a good time, I've noticed she really seems to be having a good time and I'm hearing that Hunter is calling the shots so this isn't necessarily a very positive thing for our country.

"But I think he might very well stay in and if he does nobody wants to give that up that way, he's going to feel badly about himself for a long time, it's hard to give it up that way, the way where they tried to force him out."

A clip of Trump's remarks was shared on X by Alex Thompson, national political correspondent at Axios, where it received more than 190,000 views.

Newsweek contacted the Donald Trump and Joe Biden presidential campaigns for comment by email on Tuesday outside of usual office hours.

Biden reiterated his commitment to running in November on Monday during a live appearance on MSNBC, in which he hit out at what he termed "elites in the [Democratic] party" who have questioned this move.

He said: "If any of these guys don't think I should run, run against me. Go ahead. Announce for president—challenge me at the convention!"

Biden also published an open letter to "my fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill" in which he insisted he is the best-placed person to defeat Trump in the upcoming election.

The president wrote: "I have had extensive conversations with the leadership of the party, elected officials, rank and file members, and most importantly, Democratic voters over these past 10 days or so. I have heard the concerns that people have – their good faith fears and worries about what is at stake in this election. I am not blind to them...

"I can respond to all this by saying clearly and unequivocally: I wouldn't be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024."

However, on Monday CNN anchor Jake Trapper said Democratic Party officials believe Biden and his family are in "complete denial" both about the president's health and his chances of securing re-election in November.

He wrote: "In reality 72 percent of voters say that they believe President Biden is too old, that's according to CNN's most recent polling. Voters have been saying this for quite a long time, the reality is that the Democratic elites are mostly late to acknowledge these age ability issues compared to the rest of the public...

"Many Democratic officials with whom I have spoken are worried that President Biden and his family and his inner circle appear to be in complete denial not just about whatever might be wrong with him but the state of his candidacy right now."