Top Biden donors invited to White House as president repeats plans that he 'intends to run'

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President Biden sent out exclusive invitations this week to some of his top donors from the 2020 campaign, asking them to attend a hastily-planned event at the White House, according to The New York Times.

The event, slated for next Friday, is not a fundraiser but is instead considered to be a rekindling of Biden's fundraising relationships ahead of his widely expected 2024 campaign announcement. Invites are going out to anyone who donated or raised more than $1 million for Biden's 2020 campaign, the Times reported.

Those invited are expected to meet with Biden outside the White House on Friday and may meet with top White House strategists on Saturday.

The event is the latest sign that Biden intends to announce his re-election campaign soon. His administration has repeatedly insisted that he "intends to run," but he is months past the typical time when an incumbent president would announce a campaign.

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President Biden will meet with many of his top-level donors at an exclusive White House event next week. His administration is currently inviting anyone who donated or raised more than $1 million for his campaign. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

President Biden will meet with his top donors at the White House next week. (Patrick Semansky)

Rumors suggested Biden would announce his campaign soon after his State of the Union address in February, but the event came and went with no announcement.

The president has repeatedly shut down questions about when he plans to formally enter the race, chiding a reporter who asked about it last week.

"Do you know whether the last few days have changed your calculus on when you'll make an announcement on your plans for 2024," one reporter asked as Biden was preparing to board Air Force One.

"No, no, no, no. I've already made that calculus. We'll announce it relatively soon," Biden responded. "But the trip here just reinforced my sense of optimism about what can be done."

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"So you've made a decision," the reporter asked.

Biden responded in a somewhat agitated manner, "I told you my plan is to run again."

Regardless of when he announces, the 2024 presidential campaign is sure to be expensive for donors. Former President Trump, who remains Biden's most likely rival, has capitalized on investigations and indictments against him to raise millions for his campaign.

Former President Trump has capitalized on his legal woes to drum up massive fundraising numbers. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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It remains to be seen whether Trump will come out on top of the Republican primary field. So far, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy have announced their own campaigns. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is also widely expected to enter the race.