Biden Holding New Event
Former President Joe Biden is planning a holiday reception in Washington, D.C., later this month — his first official step toward building a future presidential library, according to a report from The New York Times. But behind the scenes, Democrats are increasingly worried that Biden may struggle to raise the massive funds needed to build a modern presidential center.
A Holiday Event Aimed at Reenergizing Biden’s Supporters
The reception, scheduled for Monday, Dec. 15, is being promoted as a simple holiday meet-and-greet. The event will feature Biden, former First Lady Jill Biden, and several former cabinet members and ambassadors. The invitation reviewed by the Times makes clear that this is not a formal fundraiser — but rather an attempt to reconnect with donors and political allies.
Hosting the event is longtime Democratic megadonor Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, who previously served as ambassador to Portugal under President Bill Clinton and ambassador to Brazil under Biden.
Slow Fundraising Sparks Serious Concerns
Despite Biden’s decades in Washington, plans for his presidential library are moving slowly, leaving donors uneasy. Large-scale fundraising for modern presidential centers can stretch into the hundreds of millions — and insiders reportedly fear Biden may have trouble attracting the support needed to get such a project off the ground.
In September, Biden announced plans to locate his presidential library in Delaware, the state he represented in the Senate for more than 30 years. A team of longtime aides, political allies, and personal friends has been tasked with securing a location and launching the early fundraising push.
The Bidens also announced a 13-member governance board, which includes former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and veteran adviser Steve Ricchetti.
Comparisons to Other Presidents Highlight Biden’s Challenges
Biden’s early struggles become even more striking when compared to recent presidents:
- President Donald Trump’s library organization expects to raise more than $900 million, a sign of continued strong momentum and donor enthusiasm.
- George W. Bush reached his $500 million fundraising goal before his library opened.
- The Obama Foundation set a staggering $1.6 billion goal for its presidential center, which is scheduled to open next year.
By contrast, Biden’s team admits the final price for his project will likely “end up somewhere in the middle” of the massive Obama center and the far smaller George H.W. Bush Library, which cost $43 million.
A Holiday Reception With High Stakes
While the Dec. 15 event is being framed as a friendly holiday gathering, insiders say it marks Biden’s quiet attempt to reassure donors and generate momentum for a project that has been slow to ignite. Whether Democratic contributors — many of whom are already fatigued after years of political spending — will rally behind Biden remains to be seen.
For now, the former president is trying to revive his fundraising network and salvage a legacy project that appears to be struggling before it even begins.
