There have been claims that President Joe Biden’s staff is intentionally undermining Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign efforts for the 2024 race. This follows Biden’s withdrawal from his re-election bid. The Democratic Party and Biden himself are publicly supporting Harris, despite the alleged tension within the teams and instances where Biden seems to be undermining his previous running mate.
Republican strategist Jason Meister suggests that Biden is deliberately seeking retribution against Harris for perceived past betrayals, pointing to Biden’s absence from most of Harris’ campaign events and his limited public support.
Conflicting reports have emerged from Harris’ camp, expressing dissatisfaction over the perceived lack of support from the White House. This disagreement has allegedly created a rift between the two teams, with Harris grappling with her allegiance to Biden while positioning herself as a unique candidate for change. An Axios report revealed internal conflicts over strategy, with some Biden aides feeling marginalized or ignored.
Claims have been made by some of Harris’ aides that White House staff purposefully fail to align Biden’s activities and messages to bolster Harris’ 2024 campaign. A member of Harris’s campaign has stated that the White House does not prioritize the potential campaign impact of their decisions. Harris recently chastised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for not responding to her calls concerning relief efforts for Hurricanes Helene and Milton, a claim he dismissed as politically driven. Shortly after, Biden praised the Republican governor for his cooperation during their discussions.
A White House official denied these allegations, asserting that everyone in the administration, including the president, acknowledges the importance of the upcoming election. They added that many staff members were expected to transition from the administration to the campaign during the final phase.
Efforts have been made by Harris’ team to expand the Vice President’s office to handle the growing workload. Sources close to the situation have expressed frustration with the White House’s slow progress in assigning additional staff for this task.
Despite attempts by the White House to assist Harris’ team, there have been frustrations regarding certain rules that govern staff assignments and their timing.
Several aides from Biden’s team have joined Harris’ campaign, but concerns have arisen that their departures or even their consideration of the move have been viewed as disloyal by Biden’s team.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates defended the Biden administration’s efforts, telling Axios: “President Biden endorsed Vice President Harris immediately after leaving the race, rejecting other approaches that would divide the party, and has attested to her leadership abilities and continually made clear his support for her.”
