Joe Biden: My Decision Had No Impact on Trump's Victory in the 2024 Election

On Friday, January 21, U.S. President Joe Biden dismissed claims that his early presence in the presidential election race influenced Trump's victory, stating, "My decision had no impact on Trump's victory in the 2024 election." Biden, who is 82 years old and will leave the White House in ten days, responded to several reporters' questions during an unscheduled press conference, rejecting any regret over his initial decision to run, saying, "I believe I could have defeated Trump, and I'm sure Kamala could have too." He explained his reasons for withdrawing from the presidential race "after a weak debate with Trump and concerns from the Democratic Party about his ability to win the November election or complete a second term," noting, "At that time, I thought it was important for the party to unite. The greatest honor of my life was being president, but I didn't want to cause a party failure that was not united." In response to a question about "preemptive pardons," the U.S. President stated, "I find Trump's threats to punish individuals unacceptable. The idea that he wants to punish people is unacceptable. This matter is still under review, but no decision has been made yet." He also ruled out any possibility of a preemptive pardon for himself, emphasizing, "I have done nothing wrong." Biden referred to new sanctions against the Russian oil industry, adding that these sanctions might increase gasoline prices in the U.S. by 3 or 4 cents per gallon but would have a profound impact on the Russian economy. The U.S. President noted that he canceled his trip to Italy to meet with Pope Francis, stating, "I canceled this trip to closely monitor the federal response to the California wildfires. I am disappointed about canceling this trip, but my presence in Washington to manage the crisis is more important." Biden stated that real progress has been made in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza. He emphasized support for the ideals of the Venezuelan people during a meeting with the elected President of Venezuela. Biden will speak on Monday about his foreign policy record. The European Union's reaction to Trump's comments about Greenland was described as "strange."