Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

Lawmakers and administration officials have begun expressing frustration with President Joe Biden’s standing ahead of the 2024 election, as the president himself has begun to second guess some strategic decisions, according to a report from NBC News.

As the 2024 election looms ever closer, Biden is trailing former President Donald Trump in nearly every hypothetical matchup across several key swing states.

According to interviews conducted by NBC News, Biden is reportedly growing more concerned about his reelection effort and other Democrats are beginning to grow frustrated with the president’s performance.

“Biden stood up in front of the whole world and said, ‘I’m ready. I’m the guy who can take down Donald Trump,’” Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) told NBC News. “So, he g-ddamn well better do it. We don’t have time for him to be worried about whether or not people are saying things right or the poll numbers are where they should be. I want focused energy and not defensive anger.”

NBC notes that Biden’s 38% approval rating is lower at this stage, the beginning of his fourth year in office, than the last three presidents who went on to lose re-election: Trump sat at 48%, George H.W. Bush sat at 39% and Jimmy Carter sat at 43%, according to Gallup survey data.

NBC reported on several meetings and private instances of Biden’s frustration. In one meeting, Biden reportedly seethed while reviewing poll numbers in Michigan and Georgia, where his popularity had dropped over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war, a legislator stated. Biden reportedly began shouting and swearing, as the states are critical to his 2024 victory.

“President Biden makes national security decisions based on the country’s national security needs alone — no other factor,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told NBC News.

As Biden grows increasingly frustrated with his reelection effort, sources say he has begun taking his anger out on his staff. He’s reportedly angry that his touting of the economy and various policy accomplishments haven’t been landing with Americans, as his approval rating falls ever-lower.

Staffers have reportedly given Biden conflicting advice on how to deal with concerns surrounding his age, and Biden has privately been second-guessing his course of action. 

“The man’s been successful for decades in Congress and became vice president and president,” a source, who previously worked in the Biden Administration, told NBC. “If you try to change the person, you’re making a mistake. Let the president go out there and do his thing.”

While Biden continues struggling in the polls, Democrats have agreed that Biden needs a coalition of surrogates to help spread his reelection message. Democratic Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told the outlet it is the duty of city and town leaders to broadcast Biden’s achievements.

“Coming after a blowhard like Trump who tells you every day what he hates and what he likes, Biden is … soft and calm and getting the work done,” Dickens reportedly said.

“I think it’s actually a bit of a failure of communication on the part of the White House,” said Mary Landrieu, a former Democratic senator from Louisiana, regarding the effort to project Biden’s successes.

“There’s a real story to tell,” Landrieu said regarding Biden’s addressing of America’s high-tech manufacturing. “It’s a winning message and it’s about jobs, prosperity and evolution. If that message can be communicated, I think the American people will respond.”