Topline
Former President Donald Trump does not expect President Joe Biden to drop out of the November election, he said in an interview on Fox News on Monday night, as he continued to attack his opponent by suggesting he was only “semi-running” his administration.
Trump said if Biden is forced to drop out, he will be replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris on ... [+]
Key Facts
In a phone interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump’s first since last month’s debate, the former president said Biden “may very well stay, and he's got an ego, and he doesn't want to quit.”
Trump added: “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're trying to force him out.”
The former president told Hannity that Biden looked “extremely pale, to put it nicely” during the debate, adding the president’s voice was “weak” and the answers given by him “didn’t make a lot of sense.”
When asked by Hannity if he wanted Biden to step aside, Trump said “we have prepared for him, but I don't think it's going to matter,” touting his “great four years” in office.
Trump said he expects Vice President Kamala Harris to replace Biden on the ballot if he is forced to drop out.
The former president then dismissed Harris, calling her an “ineffective person” and claiming she “was in charge of the border” and “didn’t do a good job.”
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Chief Critic
A Biden campaign spokesperson criticized Trump’s comments in a statement to Politico: “A low-energy Donald Trump has been off the trail for 12 days and nothing has changed.”
Surprising Fact
Bookmakers on the prediction market platform Polymarket believe there is a 36% chance of Biden dropping out of the presidential race, this is sharply down from around 60% on Monday morning. It is unclear whether Trump’s latest comments have impacted the latest odds.
Key Background
Biden’s shaky performance at the first presidential debate late last month came under sharp criticism. Since then, concerns about the 81-year-old president’s health have led to calls for him to drop out of the 2024 race—including from members of his own party. The president, however, has pushed back over the past couple of days, insisting that the “average voter” still wants to see him run.
Further Reading
Biden Doubles Down As Donors Question Campaign: ‘I Don’t Care What The Billionaires Think’ (Forbes)
