Biden won’t make 2024 announcement until State of the Union: Sources

According to sources, President Biden will not make an announcement about whether he will run for re-election in 2024 until he delivers an address to the US Congress.

Sources say the timing of the announcement is unrelated to the ongoing investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates said the discovery of the classified documents would not affect the timing of Biden’s decision.

“The President is making good on his promise to respect the independence of the Department of Justice and separate it from politics. You heard from him directly, including after his agenda led to the best interim terms for a Democratic president in 60 years, that he intends to run,” Bates said.

BIDEN INVESTIGATION OF SECRET DOCUMENTS: SECRET SERVICE READY TO PROVIDE DELAWARE VISITORS, SOURCE SAYS

US President Joe Biden leaves the White House on January 19, 2023 in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Vin McNamee/Getty Images)

“With inflation falling, the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, more jobs returning to America, and lower drug prices — all in just the last week — his focus is on making even more progress for American families. We also saw Republicans in the House of Representatives this week. Vision: Raising taxes for the middle class to cut them for the wealthy, worsening inflation and a national ban on abortion,” he added.

The Democratic strategist told Fox News that it doesn’t make sense for Biden to announce plans for 2024 anywhere near or right after the state of the nation. The strategist said Biden would be better off touting his administration’s achievements and giving it a break before launching another big moment.

Biden is coming under fire from Democrats and Republicans after classified documents were found both in his private office at the Penn Biden Center and in the private garage of his Wilmington, Delaware residence.

DEMS “WANT ANSWERS” TO BIDEN DOCUMENTS, REPRESENTATIVE. PORTER SAYS “SECRET DOCUMENTS BELONG TO SECRET SETTINGS”

A 2020 campaign video shows then-presidential candidate Joe Biden entering what appears to be his driveway in Wilmington, Delaware.
(Joe Biden, 2020)

Referring to the documents, Biden told Fox News’ Peter Doucey that they were in a locked garage.

“Secret documents next to your Corvette? What were you thinking about? Doucey Biden asked.

“I will have the opportunity to talk about all this, God willing, it will be soon, but I said earlier this week – and by the way, my Corvette is in a locked garage. street,” Biden replied.

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US President Joe Biden speaks to supporters at the National Action Network’s annual Martin Luther King Day Breakfast on January 16, 2023 in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Thassos Katopodis/Getty Images)

“So the documents were in the locked garage?” Dusi asked.

“Yes, also like my corvette. But as I said earlier this week, people know I take classified documents and classified material seriously,” President Biden said. “I also said that we are fully and fully cooperating with the Department of Justice in the review.”

Anders Hagstrom of Fox News contributed to this report.