Biden announces he is running for president again, setting up possible Trump rematch

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden said Tuesday he will seek a second term in office, confirming a reelection bid he has long previewed — as he faces a possible rematch with Donald Trump next November.

Biden announced his 2024 campaign in a pre-recorded video.

“The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer,” he says in the video, entitled “Freedom” which was posted to his social media account early Tuesday morning.

“This is not a time to be complacent. That’s why I’m running for re-election,” he says.

The video announcement focuses on Biden’s closing argument to the country, making his case for four more years in office to “finish this job,” — a line he previewed during his State of the Union address this year.

“Every generation of Americans has faced a moment when they’ve had to defend democracy. Stand up for our personal freedoms. Stand up for the right to vote and our civil rights. And this is our moment,” Biden says in the video.

“Let’s finish this job, I know we can,” he adds.

As part of that closing argument, the president also calls out “MAGA extremists” for attacking “bedrock freedoms” in the video.

While Biden does not directly name any of his GOP rivals, images from the Jan. 6 attack on the capitol, and members of the Republican party including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flash on the screen.

Vice President Harris, again joining Biden on the ticket, is also featured prominently throughout the video.

Biden’s 2024 campaign will be managed by Julie Chávez Rodríguez, a senior advisor to the president at the White House, and the granddaughter of labor leader Cesar Chávez.

Quentin Fulks, who previously served as the campaign manager of Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock’s 2022 reelection campaign, will serve as Principal Deputy Campaign Manager.

The campaign is also announcing a slate of national co-chairs, including Rep. Lisa Blunt-Rochester, Rep. Jim Clyburn, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Rep. Veronica Escobar, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Tuesday also marks four years to the day since Biden announced his 2020 presidential campaign.