US President Joe Biden has dropped yet another hint that he will seek re-election in 2024. Biden said on Monday that he "plans" on running again but added that he is "not prepared to announce it yet". The comments came during a casual interview with US broadcaster NBC prior to the annual White House Easter children's party. Biden has previously said it was his "intention" to run for another four-year term. During a press conference last November, the president spoke of his desire to seek another term but said he would discuss it with his family over the year-end holidays. In February, First Lady Jill Biden said that the timing of the formal announcement was "pretty much" all that was left to be decided. "How many times does he have to say it for you to believe it?" she told the Associated Press during a visit to Africa. White House staff had suggested that an announcement could come as early as February but then pushed the possible date to April. The latest reports are that Biden may wait until the new campaign fundraising quarter begins in July in order to maximize the amount of time he can gather donations before having to disclose them publicly. Quarterly fundraising totals are frequently viewed as an important indication of the strength of a campaign. There are currently two announced candidates for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination — best-selling self-help author Marianne Williamson and anti-vaccine activist Robert Kennedy Jr. No prominent Democratic officeholders appear to be considering a challenge to the incumbent, however. The lack of any formidable rivals in his party has given Biden the ability to set the timing of any formal announcement without significant external pressure. His advisers have said he sees an advantage in drawing a contrast between his role governing the nation while his potential Republican opponents engage in partisan campaigning or — in Donald Trump's case — deal with the fallout from a criminal indictment. Last week, the former president pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court to falsifying business records. Behind the scenes, however, Biden and his advisers are quietly assembling a campaign team and staffing the independent political action committee, Future Forward, that will provide financial support for the president's re-election effort. At 80, Biden is already the oldest president in US history. If he wins re-election, he will be 86 at the end of his second term. — BBC
