Will He or Won't He? Manchin Refuses to Say Whether He'll Back Biden for 2024 Election

With two years before the 2024 presidential cycle, US President Joe Biden has indicated he fully intends to run once again for the White House bid. However, not many Americans are in favor of the move, with 65% of those surveyed in a recent poll opposing the move. Another 68% said they also didn't want former US President Donald Trump.

US Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) refused to comment Sunday on whether or not he would be throwing his support behind US President Joe Biden during the 2024 presidential election.

Speaking to ABC correspondent George Stephanopoulos, the West Virginia senator simply remarked that he would back "whoever" manages to win the presidential post in two years' time.

“I’m not getting into 2022 or 2024. I'm not speculating on it,” Manchin said, also referring to the looming midterm elections. “Whoever is my president, that’s my president. And Joe Biden is my president right now.”

"I think the Democrats have great candidates that are running. They’re good people I’ve worked with, and I have a tremendous amount of respect and friendship with my Republican colleagues,” he added.

Manchin further noted that he "can work on either side very easily.” The official also sidestepped questions on whether he hoped Democrats would maintain their slim control of the US House of Representatives or Senate following midterms.

The centrist senator has spent the last several days avoiding giving a firm response to the big 2024 question after he managed to broker a deal Wednesday with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the Inflation Reduction Act.

Although Manchin has previously referred to Biden as a "good person," he has also taken the opportunity to criticize the commander-in-chief over his energy policies.

The latest comes as a recent Gallup poll found that just 38% of voters approved Biden's work as president, effectively marking a new low. A June survey had Biden at a 41% approval.