In interviews, 22 current and former vice presidential aides, administration officials and associates of Harris and Biden described a tense and at times dour office atmosphere. Aides and allies said Flournoy, in an apparent effort to protect Harris, has instead created an insular environment where ideas are ignored or met with harsh dismissals and decisions are dragged out. Often, they said, she refuses to take responsibility for delicate issues and blames staffers for the negative results that ensue.
How many books would we have on this if it happened under Trump?
He would have reasons to say that even if it weren't true, though. If he says he's not running in 2024 during the last election, that plays into the "Biden is a senile, doddering old fool" narrative. If he says it now, that plays into the same narrative, but also distracts from whatever he's trying to get done, ratchets up the incentives for people to run out the clock on his term instead of playing ball, and kickstarts the 2024 primary (which is the last thing you'd want if the goal is a Hillary-style coronation for Harris).
Maybe he's telling the truth, maybe he's not, maybe his aging will take this all out of his hands whatever he thinks.