Biden says he plans to run again

U.S. President Joe Biden said he intends to run for re-election and would likely make a final decision by early next year, after declaring the results of Tuesday's midterm elections good for democracy.

White House officials expressed a sense of vindication that Biden's fellow Democrats did better than expected.

Biden, who turns 80 this month, has faced questions on whether he will seek a second term. A Biden adviser said preparatory discussions for a 2024 campaign were under way.

"Our intention is to run again, that's been our intention," Biden told reporters at the White House, his wife Jill sitting nearby. "This is ultimately a family decision."

Biden said his family wanted him to run and he did not feel rushed to make a final decision. He said he would do so unrelated to any announcement from his 2020 rival, Republican former President Donald Trump, who is expected to run as well.

Biden has spent his first two years in office warning against threats to democracy after Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and did not accept Biden's legitimate victory.