Biden 2024 news: White House botches question over term length as campaign embraces ‘Dark Brandon’ meme

US president Joe Biden has announced his 2024 re-election bid in a new video early on Tuesday morning, exactly four years after he launched his last campaign for the White House.

His “Let’s Finish the Job” promo opens with footage of the events of 6 January 2021 and reaffirms his commitment to fighting for freedom and democracy. It features a pointed attack on “MAGA extremists”, whom Mr Biden warns are hell-bent on cutting social security while offering tax breaks to the wealthy and assaulting abortion rights, LGBT+ values, limiting voting access and banning books.

Mr Biden says “this is our moment” to stand up for the rights of Americans as he urges voters to give him a second term in the White House to “finish the job”.

“Freedom. Personal freedom is fundamental to who we are as Americans,” he says.

“There’s nothing more important, nothing more sacred. That’s been the work of my first term to fight for our democracy, to protect our rights, to make sure that everyone in this country is treated equally and that everyone is given a fair shot at making it.”

At 80, Mr Biden is the oldest candidate in American history to ever make a reelection bid.

Following his announcement, the US is now shaping up to see a rematch of the 2020 presidential election, when Mr Biden beat Mr Trump in the Republican’s quest for a second term.

But, based on recent polls, a 2020 rematch does not appear to be what the American people currently want.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had to clarify a response during her briefing on Tuesday after a reporter asked whether Mr Biden would serve a full eight years if re-elected.

“As you know, we take following the law seriously. So I wanted to be sure that I didn't go into 2024 more than is appropriate under the law. But I can confirm that if re-elected, @POTUS would serve all 8 years,” she said.

The Biden campaign, meanwhile, is embracing the “Dark Brandon” memes popularised around key policy victories for the president.

Key Points

• Biden announces new White House bid with attack on ‘MAGA extremists'

• Trump launches blistering attack on Biden’s America

• Poll says Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again

• Biden expected to tap senior adviser to run re-election campaign

• President’s top domestic policy adviser leaves role

Good morning

Monday 24 April 2023 14:11 , Joe Sommerlad

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of US political developments as US president Joe Biden is widely expected to announce this week that he plans to run for a second term in the White House in 2024.

Biden expected to announce new White House run this week

Monday 24 April 2023 14:06 , Joe Sommerlad

US president Joe Biden is expected to announce his 2024 re-election bid as early as Tuesday 25 April, exactly four years after he launched his last campaign for the White House.

At 81 years old, Mr Biden would be the oldest candidate to seek re-election. Polls have indicated that Americans are ready to move on from both Mr Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump.

However, Democrats’ strong performance in the 2022 midterm elections, when typically the party in power suffers widespread defeat in congressional races, bolstered the likelihood that Mr Biden would make another bid for the highest office in the land.

Mr Biden is expected to launch his new campaign via a video announcement.

Graeme Massie has more.

Biden set to confirm re-election campaign next week, say reports

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser to run re-election campaign

Monday 24 April 2023 14:05 , Joe Sommerlad

President Biden is expected to tap Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a senior White House adviser, to manage his re-election campaign, according to a person familiar with deliberations on the matter.

The person spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity because Chavez Rodriguez’s appointment has not been finalised and Biden has yet to formally launch his re-election campaign.

Chavez Rodriguez, a long-time Democratic party activist, also worked in Barack Obama’s White House. She’s the granddaughter of labour leader Cesar Chavez and labour activist Helen Fabela Chavez.

Aamer Madhani has more.

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser to run reelection campaign

Why Biden’s 2024 campaign has been hiding in plain sight all along

Monday 24 April 2023 14:40 , Joe Sommerlad

The president, his aides contend, has essentially been campaigning since Republicans took control of the House last year, and has focused on showing Americans how his administration is implementing massive new infrastructure, technology and climate laws, portraying Republicans as in the grip of the far-right at a time when Washington is nearing a crucial fight over raising the nation’s borrowing limit.

While advisers say Biden’s activities and message in the coming months will be largely indistinguishable from what he’s been doing over the last six months, the frame of reference will inevitably shift as voters increasingly tune in to 2024 political dynamics.

“President Biden is delivering and making the strong case for re-election before, during and after any formal campaign announcement,” says Democratic consultant and former Biden spokesman Scott Mulhauser.

“Rather than throwing darts at calendars, let’s focus on the president doing his job and doing it well, from an investing in America tour, an economy humming and unemployment at historic lows to a home run of a State of the Union, an expertly pulled-off Ukraine trip and more.”

Here’s more.

Biden's 2024 campaign has been hiding in plain sight

Biden calls Sudan civil war ‘unconscionable’ as evacuation completed

Monday 24 April 2023 15:10 , Joe Sommerlad

As we await news of the president’s likely annoucement of a fresh tilt at the White House, his attention is likely to be consumed by events in Sudan, where bloody violence between government and paramilitary forces has caused foreign countries to close their embassies and evacuate all diplomats and nationals.

Rituparna Chatterjee has more on the Americans fleeing Khartoum and warfare that the president himself has described as “unconscionable”.

Biden calls Sudan civil war ‘unconscionable’ as evacuation of US embassy completed

Who else is running for president in 2024?

Monday 24 April 2023 15:40 , Joe Sommerlad

With less than two years remaining until US voters will decide who will serve as president of the United States from January 2025 to January 2029, former Republican government officials are starting to jockey for position in the coming fight for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

Meanwhile, at least one prominent Democrat (California governor Gavin Newsom) has reportedly pledged not to challenge Joe Biden in a Democratic primary.

As the 2024 campaign takes shape, Andrew Feinberg and Ariana Baio have the names you need to know.

Who is running for president in 2024?

Biden 2024 splits Democrats but most would back him, latest polling indicates

Monday 24 April 2023 16:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Only about half of Democrats think President Biden should run again in 2024, a new poll shows, but a large majority say they’d be likely to support him if he became the nominee.

The poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that 26 per cent of Americans overall want to see Biden run again — a slight recovery from the 22 per cent who said that in January.

Forty-seven per cent of Democrats say they want him to run, also up slightly from only 37 per cent who said that in January.

Here’s a deeper dive into the numbers.

Poll: Biden 2024 splits Dems but most would back him in Nov.

Trump to follow in Biden’s footsteps and visit Ireland next month

Monday 24 April 2023 16:40 , Joe Sommerlad

Not much more than a week after Biden returned from his four-day jaunt to the island of Ireland, where he was warmly welcomed in fine style and made much of his Irish heritage, meeting with distant relatives and only slipping in the occasional gaffe, an envious Trump has announced his own journey across the Atlantic.

Donald Trump to follow in Joe Biden’s footsteps and visit Ireland next month

The GOP could still stop Joe Biden’s agenda even if he wins in 2024

Monday 24 April 2023 17:10 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s Eric Garcia on the obstacles the president is likely to continue to face from across the aisle even if he does secure a second term.

These are Joe Biden’s priorities if he wins a second term. The GOP could stifle them

How old is Biden and how does he compare to other world leaders?

Monday 24 April 2023 17:40 , Joe Sommerlad

The president was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on 20 November 1942, meaning he is 80 years old at the time of writing, will turn 81 later this year and 82 two weeks after Election Day 2024.

During his first run at the presidency in 2020, Republican rival Donald Trump tried hard to convince the electorate that the veteran Democrat was over the hill, nicknaming him “Sleepy Joe” and insisting that his occasional gaffes were evidence of encroaching senility, a fairly outrageous position given that Trump himself is only four years younger.

In office, Biden has not let his age be a barrier to realising the responsibilities of commander-in-chief, undertaking exhausting tours to Poland and Ukraine and Ireland already this year.

It is certainly true, however, that he was the oldest man ever to ascend to the Oval Office when he was inaugurated on 21 January 2021 at the age of 78, with Trump, then 70, in second place and Ronald Reagan, 69, in third.

But Biden does not even crack the top ten list of the oldest world leaders currently serving...

How old is Joe Biden and how does he compare to other world leaders?

Who’s who in the Biden family?

Monday 24 April 2023 18:10 , Joe Sommerlad

You know the president and first lady, but here’s a guide to the wider Biden clan.

Who’s who in Joe Biden’s family?

Polls says Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again

Monday 24 April 2023 18:40 , Oliver O'Connell

With the 2024 presidential election shaping up to be a repeat of the 2020 matchup between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Americans are less than enhused about the prospect of a rematch.

A recent Hart Research poll commissioned by NBC News found significant majorities of Americans would prefer that Mr Trump and Mr Biden both stand down rather than compete for a second term at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Andrew Feinberg has the details.

Most Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again, poll finds

Have Republicans successfully dug up any dirt on the Bidens?

Monday 24 April 2023 19:40 , Oliver O'Connell

With the president poised to announce that he is officially seeking re-election this week, Republicans in Congress have been busy conducting investigations that they hope will tarnish the 46th president’s public image enough to convince voters that former president Donald Trump — not his successor — deserves four more years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Since taking over the House of Representatives in January, GOP committee chairs have sent out flurries of document requests and subpoenas to further their probes, and many have taken to Fox News and other friendly television outlets to claim they’ve uncovered heinous wrongdoing and are preparing to expose it to the world.

So far, they haven’t surfaced any smoking gun of wrongdoing.

Andrew Feinberg has more.

House GOP targets Hunter Biden: Do Republicans have anything on Biden family?

Biden’s top domestic policy adviser departing

Monday 24 April 2023 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden said Monday that his top domestic policy adviser, Susan Rice, will leave her post next month.

As director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Rice had broad sway on the administration’s approach to health care, immigration and racial inequality.

Read more...

Susan Rice, Biden's top domestic policy adviser, departing

Teaching should not be ‘life-threatening’ job, says Biden

Monday 24 April 2023 21:10 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden honored the nation’s best teachers Monday, saying they go above and beyond by providing food and supplies out of their own pockets and often find themselves “explaining the unexplainable, from banned books to duck-and-cover drills.”

“Teaching should not be a life-threatening profession,” Biden said, referencing deadly school shootings that plague the United States. “And educators should not need to be armed to feel safe in the classroom.”

Read more...

Biden says teaching should not be 'life-threatening' job

Biden to unveil new efforts to protect South Korea from nuclear attack

Monday 24 April 2023 21:40 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden will use this week’s celebratory state visit by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to underscore that the U.S. is ready to step up its efforts to deter a North Korean attack on South Korea, according to senior administration officials.

Read more...

Biden to unveil new efforts to protect S. Korea from nukes

Monday 24 April 2023 22:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Joe Biden appears to confirm 2024 presidential bid with one word

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser to run 2024 campaign

Monday 24 April 2023 22:40 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden is expected to tap Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a senior White House adviser, to manage his reelection campaign, according to a person familiar with deliberations on the matter.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Chavez Rodriguez’s appointment has not been finalized and Biden has yet to formally launch his reelection campaign.

Aamer Madhani reports.

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser to run reelection campaign

Biden hails Tennessee lawmakers attacked by GOP over gun control push

Monday 24 April 2023 23:10 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden on Monday welcomed the “Tennessee Three” — the trio of state lawmakers who were targeted by GOP leadership after leading gun control protests in the state capital — to the White House, and hailed them for ”standing up for our kids” during a meeting in the Oval Office.

Mr Biden also condemned state Republicans in Tennessee while speaking with state legislators Justin Pearson, Justin Jones, and Gloria Johnson. Mr Pearson and Mr Jones — who are both Black men — were briefly expelled from their legislative seats by the GOP supermajority that controls the Tennessee House of Representatives, while Ms Johnson, a white woman, was spared by one vote.

“What the Republican legislature did was shocking, it was undemocratic,” said the president.

Biden hails Tennessee lawmakers attacked by GOP over gun control push

Biden 2024: Campaign hiding in plain sight

Monday 24 April 2023 23:40 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has been hiding in plain sight all along.

The contours of the 2024 campaign that Biden will formally launch with a video as soon as this week will look a lot like his messaging and policy moves from the past few months: Play up accomplishments from his first two years, draw a sharp contrast with Republican policies he deems extreme, and brush off worries about his age.

Biden, aides contend, has essentially been campaigning since Republicans took control of the House last year, focused on showing Americans how his administration is implementing massive new infrastructure, technology and climate laws, and portraying Republicans as in the grip of the far right at a time when Washington is nearing a crucial fight over raising the nation’s borrowing limit.

Read more...

Biden's 2024 campaign has been hiding in plain sight

Trump to follow in Biden’s footsteps and visit Ireland

Tuesday 25 April 2023 00:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Former US president Donald Trump is to visit Ireland next month.

It will come just weeks after his successor Joe Biden took part in a four-day visit to the island of Ireland.

There is speculation the two men who went head to head in the 2020 US presidential election could again be candidates in 2024.

Rebecca Black has the story.

Donald Trump to follow in Joe Biden’s footsteps and visit Ireland next month

Biden’s top policy priorities if he wins a second term... but GOP could still stand in way

Tuesday 25 April 2023 01:40 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden had one of the most prolific first two years of any recent president.

Here’s where his focus will be in a second term.

These are Joe Biden’s priorities if he wins a second term. The GOP could stifle them

How Joe Biden is preparing for a potential rematch with Trump in 2024

Tuesday 25 April 2023 01:57 , Josh Marcus

President Joe Biden’s anticipated announcement of his 2024 re-election campaign couldn’t come at a better — or worse — time for the 46th President of the United States.

Mr Biden is widely expected to unveil his fourth and final campaign for the presidency in a video to be released on Tuesday, the fourth anniversary of when he launched the successful 2020 campaign that put him in the White House after four years of Donald Trump.

The announcement, which a person close to Mr Biden said is still not “100 per cent finalised”, has been widely expected for months now.

On multiple occasions, the president has said he intends to run for re-election, but until now he has refrained from formally declaring himself a candidate. Aides have attributed the delay to Mr Biden’s natural reticence when it comes to making big decisions, as well as the lack of significant opposition in his own party and the general dysfunction on the Republican side, which appears to be leading to a rematch between Mr Biden and Mr Trump.

Andrew Feinberg and John Bowden have all the details in their full story.

Biden 2024: The polls, the politics and why he needs Trump to win

Trump blasts Biden ahead of expected 2024 announcement

Tuesday 25 April 2023 02:20 , Josh Marcus

The Trump campaign seems to be preparing for a Joe Biden 2024 announcement.

“With such a calamitous and failed presidency, it is almost inconceivable that Biden would even think of running for reelection,” the former president said in a statement on Monday. “You know what happened in the last election: they cheated, and they rigged the election.”

Who’s who in the Biden family?

Tuesday 25 April 2023 02:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Who’s who in Joe Biden’s family?

Hunter Biden calls for investigation into Marjorie Taylor Greene

Tuesday 25 April 2023 03:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Hunter Biden’s lawyer called for Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to be investigated for what the president’s son has called “unmoored verbal abuses” such as false accusations of human trafficking, The Washington Post reported.

Abbe Lowell, the lawyer for President Joe Biden’s son, sent a letter to the Office of Congressional Ethics asking for an investigation.

Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.

Hunter Biden wants investigation of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘unmoored verbal abuse’

Have Republicans unearthed anything on the Biden family?

Tuesday 25 April 2023 04:40 , Oliver O'Connell

With President Joe Biden poised to announce that he is officially seeking re-election, Republicans in Congress have been busy conducting investigations that they hope will tarnish the 46th president’s public image enough to convince voters that former president Donald Trump — not Mr Biden — deserves four more years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

House GOP targets Hunter Biden: Do Republicans have anything on Biden family?

Biden 2024: The polls, the politics and why he needs Trump to win

Tuesday 25 April 2023 05:10 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Joe Biden’s anticipated announcement of his 2024 re-election campaign couldn’t come at a better — or worse — time for the 46th president of the United States.

Mr Biden is widely expected to unveil his fourth and final campaign for the presidency in a video to be released on Tuesday, the fourth anniversary of when he launched the successful 2020 campaign that put him in the White House after four years of Donald Trump.

Andrew Feinberg and John Bowden write on his mixed ratings, and how early polling matchups with his most likely challenger give room for optimism:

Biden 2024: The polls, the politics and why he needs Trump

How does Biden’s age stack up against other world leaders?

Tuesday 25 April 2023 05:40 , Oliver O’Connell

US president Joe Biden is widely expected to announce his intention to seek a second term in the White House any day now – and will do so at a ripe old age.

How old is Joe Biden and how does he compare to other world leaders?

Biden expected to launch new campaign via video announcement

Tuesday 25 April 2023 06:10 , Sravasti Dasgupta

President Joe Biden will launch his re-election bid today, exactly four years after his first successful campaign launch.

The president will launch his campaign with a video which is expected to look a lot like his messaging and policy moves from the past few months, reported The Associated Press.

This will include playing up accomplishments from his first two years, draw a sharp contrast with Republican policies he deems extreme, and brush off worries about his age.

On Monday the president said to reporters: “I told you I’m planning on running.

“I’ll let you know real soon.”

Unlike his previous election bid, Mr Biden will have to juggle the challenge of running for office with the demands of running the country.

“The single best thing Joe Biden can do for his reelection is to continue to be president of United States, and, when he’s out there barnstorming the country, talking about what he’s delivered and what he wants to do,” Eric Schultz, a Democratic operative and spokesperson for former president Barack Obama was quoted as saying.

“That’s exactly what he’s been doing.”

According to the president’s aides he will ramp up fundraising in coming weeks both for himself and the party.

Aides said Mr Biden intends to follow a roadmap similar to Mr Obama, who launched his reelection campaign in April 2011 but waited 13 months to hold his first official reelection campaign rally in May 2012.

Trump to follow in Biden’s footsteps and visit Ireland

Tuesday 25 April 2023 06:40 , Oliver O’Connell

Former US president Donald Trump is to visit Ireland next month.

It will come just weeks after his successor Joe Biden took part in a four-day visit to the island of Ireland.

There is speculation the two men who went head to head in the 2020 US presidential election could again be candidates in 2024.

Rebecca Black reports.

Donald Trump to follow in Joe Biden’s footsteps and visit Ireland next month

Joe Biden appears to confirm 2024 presidential bid with one word

Tuesday 25 April 2023 07:10 , Sravasti Dasgupta

Joe Biden appeared to confirm that he is running for re-election in 2024 with a one-word answer to reporters gathered at the White House on Monday, 24 April.

Watch:

Joe Biden appears to confirm 2024 presidential bid with one word

Biden 2024: A campaign hiding in plain sight

Tuesday 25 April 2023 07:40 , Oliver O'Connell

While advisers say Biden’s activities and message in coming months will be largely indistinguishable from what he’s been doing over the last six months, the frame of reference will inevitably shift as voters increasingly tune in to 2024 political dynamics.

Biden's 2024 campaign has been hiding in plain sight

Who is running for president in 2024?

Tuesday 25 April 2023 08:10 , Sravasti Dasgupta

President Joe Biden is expected to launch his re-election campaign via video today.

As the 2024 campaign takes shape, here are the names you need to know:

Andrew Feinberg, Ariana Baio report:

Who is running for president in 2024?

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser for 2024 campaign

Tuesday 25 April 2023 08:40 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden is expected to tap Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a senior White House adviser, to manage his reelection campaign, according to a person familiar with deliberations on the matter.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Chavez Rodriguez’s appointment has not been finalized and Biden has yet to formally launch his reelection campaign. CBS News was first to report that Mr Biden has decided to pick Chavez Rodriguez.

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser to run reelection campaign

Biden's top domestic policy adviser leaves role

Tuesday 25 April 2023 09:10 , Sravasti Dasgupta

In a surprising shift, Joe Biden’s top domestic policy adviser Susan Rice is set to leave her post next month just as the president launches his re-election bid.

In a statement on Monday, Mr Biden said of her departure: “After more than two years of her steady leadership of the Domestic Policy Council – it’s clear: there is no one more capable, and more determined to get important things done for the American people than Susan Rice.”

Ms Rice, a longtime Democratic foreign policy expert, served as president Barack Obama’s national security adviser and UN ambassador, the only person to serve in both positions.

She worked closely with then-vice president Biden in those roles and was on his short list to become his running mate during the 2020 campaign.

Poll finds most Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again

Tuesday 25 April 2023 09:40 , Oliver O’Connell

With the 2024 presidential election shaping up to be a repeat of the 2020 matchup between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Americans are less than enhused about the prospect of a rematch.

A recent Hart Research poll commissioned by NBC News found significant majorities of Americans would prefer that Mr Trump and Mr Biden both stand down rather than compete for a second term at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

Most Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again, poll finds

Do Republicans have anything on the Biden family?

Tuesday 25 April 2023 10:10 , Joe Sommerlad

With Joe Biden poised to announce that he is officially seeking re-election, Republicans in Congress have been busy conducting investigations that they hope will tarnish the 46th president’s public image enough to convince voters that it is Donald Trump – not Biden – that deserves four more years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Biden himself has not been the target of the various congressional investigations.

Instead, Republicans are laser-focused on using the full power of legislative branch oversight to target Biden’s son Hunter.

Andrew Feinberg has the details.

House GOP targets Hunter Biden: Do Republicans have anything on Biden family?

Biden tells nation to ‘stay tuned’ as he meets Tennessee Three and stands up for teachers

Tuesday 25 April 2023 10:40 , Joe Sommerlad

This is what the president had to say at the White House on Monday about his widely anticipated announcement, as he and vice president Kamala Harris met with Tennessee lawmakers Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson, who were killed out of their state’s House of Representatives earlier this month by Republicans for protesting gun violence in the wake of the Nashville school shooting.

The president took the opportunity to highlight the stresses faced by America’s teachers more generally, from guns to conservatives banning books, pointing out that the first lady herself is a working educator and pledging his support to the profession.

John Bowden and Andrew Feinberg have a little more from yesterday at the White House.

Biden hails Tennessee lawmakers attacked by GOP over gun control push

President Joe Biden confirms 2024 reelection bid

Tuesday 25 April 2023 11:03 , Joe Sommerlad

Here we go...

President Biden’s “Let’s Finish the Job” promo opens with footage of the events of 6 January 2021 and reaffirms his commitment to fighting for freedom and democracy.

It features a pointed attack on “MAGA extremists”, whom Mr Biden warns are hell-bent on cutting social security while offering tax breaks to the wealthy and assaulting abortion rights, LGBT+ values, limiting voting access and banning books.

The second half of the film is a defiant celebration of a more tolerant, multicultural America - much more positive in tone.

President Joe Biden confirms 2024 reelection bid in video making dig at Trump

Trump launches blistering attack on Biden’s America

Tuesday 25 April 2023 11:25 , Joe Sommerlad

Donald Trump put out a statement of his own last night pre-empting Biden’s official launch video, which is every bit as hysterical and apocalyptic as you would expect.

Biden’s America, as the 45th president sees it, is a nightmare world of economic collapse riddled with failing banks and corruption, overrun borders, indoctrinated children, “left-wing freaks and zealots”, drug-addicted homeless criminals and weaponised law enforcement , all of which is headed straight for World War III, a fate from which only one man can save it.

I’m sure you can guess who he thinks that might be.

Biden to unveil new efforts to protect South Korea from nuclear attack

Tuesday 25 April 2023 11:40 , Joe Sommerlad

After all that excitement, the president still has a job to do.

Mr Biden is welcoming South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol on a state visit this week and is expected to use the celebratory occasion to underline that the US is ready to step up its efforts to deter a North Korean attack on its southern neighbour, according to senior administration officials.

You can read more on that below.

Biden to unveil new efforts to protect S. Korea from nukes

Who is running for the presidency in 2024?

Tuesday 25 April 2023 12:10 , Joe Sommerlad

With less than two years remaining until US voters will decide who will serve as president of the United States from January 2025 to January 2029, former Republican government officials are starting to jockey for position in the coming fight for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, while at least one prominent Democrat (California governor Gavin Newsom) has reportedly pledged not to challenge President Joe Biden in a Democratic primary.

As the 2024 campaign takes shape, here are the names you need to know.

Who is running for president in 2024?

Hunter Biden calls for investigation into Marjorie Taylor Greene

Tuesday 25 April 2023 12:40 , Joe Sommerlad

Hunter Biden’s lawyer has called for Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene to be investigated for what the president’s son has called “unmoored verbal abuses” such as false accusations of human trafficking, The Washington Post reported.

Abbe Lowell, the lawyer for President Biden’s son, sent a letter to the Office of Congressional Ethics asking for an investigation.

Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.

Hunter Biden wants investigation of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘unmoored verbal abuse’

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser to run re-election campaign

Tuesday 25 April 2023 13:10 , Joe Sommerlad

The president is expected to tap Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a senior White House adviser, to manage his re-election campaign, according to reports.

Aamer Madhani has more.

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser to run reelection campaign

Most Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again, poll finds

Tuesday 25 April 2023 13:40 , Joe Sommerlad

According to a recent Hart Research poll commissioned by NBC News, significant majorities of Americans would prefer that both Donald Trump and Joe Biden stand down rather than compete for a second term in the Oval Office.

Andrew Feinberg reports on the findings.

Most Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again, poll finds

How old is Donald Trump and how does his age compare to other US presidents?

Tuesday 25 April 2023 14:10 , Joe Sommerlad

When Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, he became the oldest commander-in-chief sworn in at the age of 70 years and 220 days old.

That was surpassed by his successor Joe Biden, who was 78 years and 61 days when he became the country’s 46th president in January 2021.

But depending on who wins the 2024 presidential election, a new record could be set as both Mr Biden and Mr Trump are running for re-election.

Read more.

How old is Donald Trump and how does his age compare to other US presidents?

Biden singles out Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz in 2024 reelection launch video

Tuesday 25 April 2023 15:14 , John Bowden

President Joe Biden has singled out far-right Republicans Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene in his 2024 reelection video where he warned about the threat of “MAGA extremists” on American democracy and freedom.

The Democratic president, 80, launched his reelection bid on Tuesday morning with the release of a three-minute video poignantly titled “Freedom”. The move to target right-wing Republicans like Mr Gaetz and Ms Greene follows a longer effort by Mr Biden to tie moderate Republicans in DC to the often offensive and politically damaging comments and actions of their hardline peers.

Read more:

Biden singles out Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz in 2024 reelection video

The not-so-subtle digs in Biden’s 2024 announcement

Tuesday 25 April 2023 15:45 , John Bowden

Joe Biden’s campaign announcement was a preview of the strategy he’ll use against Republicans writ large in 2024, writes The Independent’s Eric Garcia.

One theme ran consistent throughout his 2024 launch on Tuesday: That his party is the party of freedom while the Republican Party poses a threat to personal liberty. Republicans commonly sell themselves as the party of “freedom” and many political action committees, outside groups and conferences use some variation of the word.

Read more:

The not-so-subtle digs in Biden’s 2024 announcement

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser for 2024 campaign

Tuesday 25 April 2023 16:30 , John Bowden

President Joe Biden is expected to tap Julie Chavez Rodriguez, a senior White House adviser, to manage his reelection campaign, according to a person familiar with deliberations on the matter.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Chavez Rodriguez’s appointment has not been finalized and Biden has yet to formally launch his reelection campaign. CBS News was first to report that Mr Biden has decided to pick Chavez Rodriguez.

Biden expected to tap senior White House adviser to run reelection campaign

Trump unleashes furious attack on Biden full of false claims ahead of president’s 2024 announcement

Tuesday 25 April 2023 16:45 , John Bowden

Donald Trump aggressively attacked President Joe Biden, calling him “the most corrupt president in American history” and making false claims about Mr Biden as he announced his 2024 re-election bid.

Mr Biden officially launched his re-election campaign for president on Tuesday 25 April, calling on Americans to help him “finish the job.”

Just ahead of his announcement on Monday evening, Mr Trump released a lengthy press release making multiple false claims about himself and Mr Biden.

Ariana Baio has the story:

Trump unleashes furious attack on Biden with false claims ahead of 2024 announcement

Biden campaign embraces ‘Dark Brandon’ meme

Tuesday 25 April 2023 17:15 , John Bowden

Joe Biden’s campaign is officially leaning in to the “Dark Brandon” meme, which emerged in pro-Biden circles on social media as a sort of response to the “Let’s Go Brandon” joke that conservatives latched on to in the early days of the president’s first term.

Alex Woodward has more for The Independent on how this meme caught fire:

Inside the ‘Dark Brandon’ phenomenon

Biden’s criticism of 63-year-old opponent’s age resurfaces as he launches 2024 bid at 80

Tuesday 25 April 2023 17:45 , John Bowden

Add Senate candidate Joe Biden to the list of people whose comments could be a problem for President Joe Biden as he seeks a second term in the White House.

The 80-year-old Mr Biden is mounting a historic re-election bid that would, if successful, see him once again become the oldest person to ever take a presidential oath of office, beating the record he previously set in 2021.

But as a new investigation from CNN’s KFile unit revealed on Tuesday, the president once attacked a political opponent quite explicitly with the same angle that Mr Biden’s detractors, particularly those in the GOP, both used in 2020 and likely will again in 2024: His age, and mental fortitude.

Read more:

Biden’s past criticism of opponent’s age resurfaces as he launches 2024 bid at 80

These are Joe Biden’s top policy priorities if he wins a second term. But the GOP could stifle his agenda

Tuesday 25 April 2023 18:15 , Eric Garcia

In his re-election announcement video, Mr Biden mostly refrained from highlighting specific policies he has passed and instead focused on larger themes. At the same time, he has achieved major legislative accomplishments and hopes to pass even more should he earn a second term.

With his campaign now in full swing, let’s take a look at some of the major policy priorities the president will seek to marshall across the finish line if he secures a second term.

Read more:

These are Joe Biden’s priorities if he wins a second term. The GOP could stifle them

Hunter Biden calls for investigation into Marjorie Taylor Greene

Tuesday 25 April 2023 18:23 , John Bowden

Hunter Biden, the president’s son, has long been a target of calls for investigations by Republicans. Now, he’s returning the favour.

His lawyer called for Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene to be investigated for what the president’s son has called “unmoored verbal abuses” such as false accusations of human trafficking, The Washington Post reported.

Abbe Lowell, the lawyer for President Joe Biden’s son, sent a letter to the Office of Congressional Ethics asking for an investigation.

Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.

Hunter Biden wants investigation of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘unmoored verbal abuse’

First White House press briefing since Biden’s reelection announcement set to begin

Tuesday 25 April 2023 19:16 , John Bowden

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will deliver her first remarks since the president officially announced his reelection bid in just a few minutes.

Watch below:

Union members chant ‘four more years’ at Biden event

Tuesday 25 April 2023 19:25 , John Bowden

President Joe Biden made an appearance at a national union event in downtown Washington DC on Tuesday, and was cheered by the thousands of attendees with a chant of “four more years” as his remarks concluded.

But the president declined to make specific references to his upcoming campaign for president, which officially began Tuesday morning.

Politico has the story.

First question to White House press secretary involves the Hatch Act

Tuesday 25 April 2023 19:41 , John Bowden

Karine Jean-Pierre’s first question from a reporter on Tuesday regarded whether the White House was doing anything to train staff on following the Hatch Act, which forbids members of the Executive Branch from conducting political activity while on the job, now that Joe Biden is running for reelection.

She replied by stating that the White House counsel’s office was providing guidance to staffers regarding the law but did not indicate that any special training was necessary or being applied.

Karine Jean-Pierre explains what Biden means by ‘finish the job'

Tuesday 25 April 2023 20:06 , John Bowden

The White House press secretary was asked during Tuedsay’s briefing about what Mr Biden meant in his reelection announcement and in other speeches when he referred to the need to “finish the job” in the months and years ahead.

Ms Jean-Pierre replied that Mr Biden was referring to implementing the legislation his administration had successfully shepherded through Congress, including the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as other 2020 campaign promises which have been held up by both Republicans and some of his own party members on Capitol Hill.

“You’re going to continue to hear him say this...he believes that this is a way to communicate with the American people, to communicate to let them know that we are going to do the job and finishing up the agenda that he laid out in 2020,” she said.

Trump suggests boycott of 2024 GOP debates as Democrats skip them altogether

Tuesday 25 April 2023 20:30 , John Bowden

Former President Donald Trump has suggested that he is planning on skipping the Republican primary debates due to his polling advantage and alleged biases against him.

Mr Trump voiced a particular concern with the second primary debate, scheduled to be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

Democrats, meanwhile, are not holding any debates this cycle. It’s a move that has some hoping for a younger, more progressive alternative to challenge the president on the debate stage fuming.

Abe Asher covers the ex-president’s latest Truth Social rant:

Trump suggests boycott of 2024 GOP debates as Democrats skip them altogether

Trump to follow in Biden’s footsteps and visit Ireland

Tuesday 25 April 2023 21:45 , John Bowden

Former US president Donald Trump will visit Ireland next month.

It will come just weeks after his successor Joe Biden took part in a four-day visit to the island of Ireland.

There is speculation the two men who went head to head in the 2020 US presidential election could again be candidates in 2024.

Rebecca Black has the story.

Donald Trump to follow in Joe Biden’s footsteps and visit Ireland next month

Bernie Sanders backs Biden, says he won’t mount 2024 bid

Tuesday 25 April 2023 22:04 , John Bowden

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who had left open the possibilty of running for president if Joe Biden declined to run for reelection, confirmed on Tuesday that he would not compete for the nomination against the incumbent president.

Mr Sanders told the AP that he would “do everything I can to see the president is reelected.”

“The last thing this country needs is a Donald Trump or some other right-wing demagogue who is going to try to undermine American democracy or take away a woman’s right to choose, or not address the crisis of gun violence, or racism, sexism or homophobia,” said the senator. “So, I’m in to do what I can to make sure that the president is reelected.”

Read more:

Sen. Bernie Sanders says he's endorsing Biden for reelection

GOP uses dystopian AI-generated video to attack Biden as he launches re-election bid

Tuesday 25 April 2023 22:45 , John Bowden

The Republican National Committee has released an ad using AI-generated images to paint a grim future if President Joe Biden were to win a second term.

The video came as Mr Biden announced his bid for a second term for president in the 2024 presidential election. Axios first reported that the video uses AI-generated images of Mr Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris celebrating their re-election.

Eric Garcia has more.

GOP uses dystopian AI-generated video to attack Biden as he launches re-election bid

Kamala Harris paints 2024 as battle against ‘Maga extremists'

Tuesday 25 April 2023 23:15 , John Bowden

Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday offered her own take on what is at stake for Americans as they return to the polls in 2024.

She tweeted Tuesday afternoon: “MAGA extremists want to take away women’s health care decisions, control what books your kids can read in schools, and tell you who you can love. That’s not who we are.”

“As @JoeBiden says, we are in a battle for the soul of this nation. That’s why we’re running for reelection,” said the vice president.

KJP clarifies: Biden will serve all eight years

Tuesday 25 April 2023 23:25 , John Bowden

White House press secretary Karine Jeane-Pierre issued a clarification on Twitter after seeming to laugh off a question and direct a reporter to Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign when asked at Tuesday’s briefing if Mr Biden would serve “all eight years” if he won reelection.

“As you know, we take following the law seriously. So I wanted to be sure that I didn't go into 2024 more than is appropriate under the law. But I can confirm that if re-elected, @POTUS would serve all 8 years,” she wrote.

Most Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again, poll finds

Wednesday 26 April 2023 00:15 , John Bowden

According to a recent Hart Research poll commissioned by NBC News, significant majorities of Americans would prefer that both Donald Trump and Joe Biden stand down rather than compete for a second term in the Oval Office.

It’s grim news for both leading candidates as the president launches his reelection bid this week.

Andrew Feinberg reports on the findings.

Most Americans don’t want Trump or Biden to run again, poll finds

These are Joe Biden’s top policy priorities if he wins a second term. But the GOP could stifle his agenda

01:15 , John Bowden

In his re-election announcement video, Mr Biden mostly refrained from highlighting specific policies he has passed and instead focused on larger themes. At the same time, he has achieved major legislative accomplishments and hopes to pass even more should he earn a second term.

With his campaign now in full swing, let’s take a look at some of the major policy priorities the president will seek to marshall across the finish line if he secures a second term.

Read more:

These are Joe Biden’s priorities if he wins a second term. The GOP could stifle them

Biden’s criticism of 63-year-old opponent’s age resurfaces as he launches 2024 bid at 80

02:15 , John Bowden

Add Senate candidate Joe Biden to the list of people whose comments could be a problem for President Joe Biden as he seeks a second term in the White House.

The 80-year-old Mr Biden is mounting a historic re-election bid that would, if successful, see him once again become the oldest person to ever take a presidential oath of office, beating the record he previously set in 2021.

But as a new investigation from CNN’s KFile unit revealed on Tuesday, the president once attacked a political opponent quite explicitly with the same angle that Mr Biden’s detractors, particularly those in the GOP, both used in 2020 and likely will again in 2024: His age, and mental fortitude.

Read more:

Biden’s past criticism of opponent’s age resurfaces as he launches 2024 bid at 80

Biden campaign embraces ‘Dark Brandon’ meme

03:15 , John Bowden

Joe Biden’s campaign is officially leaning in to the “Dark Brandon” meme, which emerged in pro-Biden circles on social media as a sort of response to the “Let’s Go Brandon” joke that conservatives latched on to in the early days of the president’s first term.

The “Dark Brandon” term trended across US Twitter on Tuesday afternoon following Mr Biden’s campaign launch.

Alex Woodward has more for The Independent on how this meme caught fire:

Inside the ‘Dark Brandon’ phenomenon

Trump unleashes furious attack on Biden full of false claims ahead of president’s 2024 announcement

04:15 , John Bowden

Donald Trump aggressively attacked President Joe Biden, calling him “the most corrupt president in American history” and making false claims about Mr Biden as he announced his 2024 re-election bid.

Mr Biden officially launched his re-election campaign for president on Tuesday 25 April, calling on Americans to help him “finish the job.”

Just ahead of his announcement on Monday evening, Mr Trump released a lengthy press release making multiple false claims about himself and Mr Biden.

Ariana Baio has the story:

Trump reacts to Biden 2024 announcement by reading his statement from hours earlier

The not-so-subtle digs in Biden’s 2024 announcement

05:15 , John Bowden

Joe Biden’s campaign announcement was a preview of the strategy he’ll use against Republicans writ large in 2024, writes The Independent’s Eric Garcia.

One theme ran consistent throughout his 2024 launch on Tuesday: That his party is the party of freedom while the Republican Party poses a threat to personal liberty. Republicans commonly sell themselves as the party of “freedom” and many political action committees, outside groups and conferences use some variation of the word.

Read more:

The not-so-subtle digs in Biden’s 2024 announcement

How old is Donald Trump and how does his age compare to other US presidents?

06:15 , John Bowden

When Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, he became the oldest commander-in-chief sworn in at the age of 70 years and 220 days old.

That was surpassed by his successor Joe Biden, who was 78 years and 61 days when he became the country’s 46th president in January 2021.

But depending on who wins the 2024 presidential election, a new record could be set as both Mr Biden and Mr Trump are running for the presidency again.

Read more:

How old is Donald Trump and how does his age compare to other US presidents?

Biden's top domestic policy adviser leaves role

08:15 , John Bowden

In a surprising shift, Joe Biden’s top domestic policy adviser Susan Rice is set to leave her post next month just as the president launches his re-election bid.

In a statement on Monday, Mr Biden said of her departure: “After more than two years of her steady leadership of the Domestic Policy Council – it’s clear: there is no one more capable, and more determined to get important things done for the American people than Susan Rice.”

Ms Rice, a longtime Democratic foreign policy expert, served as president Barack Obama’s national security adviser and UN ambassador, the only person to serve in both positions.

She worked closely with then-vice president Biden in those roles and was on his short list to become his running mate during the 2020 campaign.

Susan Rice, Biden's top domestic policy adviser, departing