GOP, Biden’s donors mock presidential library plans amid funding crisis: 'Going to get a food truck'

WASHINGTON, DC: Joe Biden is facing mounting difficulties in raising funds for his presidential library, and insiders say it could end up significantly smaller than those of his predecessors.

The reason? Many potential donors are reportedly still furious over his decision to seek a second term in his 80s, a move they believe paved the way for Kamala Harris’ defeat to Donald Trump.

The US Presidential Library tradition began in 1939 with Franklin D Roosevelt. Since then, presidents have followed, with costs rising, from $43 million for George HW Bush’s library in 1997, to $165 million for Bill Clinton’s, $500 million for George W Bush’s, and $1.6 billion for Barack Obama’s upcoming Chicago library.

What insiders are saying about turmoil surrounding Biden’s presidential library

According to Democratic insiders, much of the respect Joe Biden earned over his decades of public service has been lost, and many longtime donors have no intention of supporting his presidential library.

Instead of backing the project, donors are now redirecting their resources toward Democratic candidates running in the 2026 midterm elections.

"The level of dismay amongst many of us Democrats is still very strong, and I don't see abating anytime soon," a former White House official told the Daily Mail.

The source criticized Biden’s decision to run for a second term in his 80s, calling it selfish and driven by the appeal of holding power.

"He was selfish, he decided that the presidency was intoxicating, a comfortable spot for him, and he didn't surround himself with advisers who were willing to speak truth to power. They did the country a disservice, but ultimately, the buck stops with him, and he bears the responsibility for what was a very reckless decision," they added. 

Biden’s plans regarding presidential library 

Joe Biden, now 82, recently announced plans to build his library in Delaware, the state where he grew up and served as senator for 36 years. However, the exact site has yet to be revealed.

The planned library aims to be an “immersive” museum, highlighting Biden’s leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic, his infrastructure initiatives, and his foreign policy achievements. The board overseeing the project includes key Biden allies, such as former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former White House advisor Steve Ricchetti.

The Democrat had earlier floated the idea of housing the library at the University of Pennsylvania, located in his birth state. “University of Pennsylvania, which has the Biden School of Foreign Policy, wants me to do it up there,” he said in January.

However, the university later clarified that there had been no discussions about hosting the project.

Democrats skeptical Biden's presidential library will be built

Sources close to Joe Biden’s team revealed that they aim to raise several hundred million dollars for his presidential library. However, many observers remain doubtful that the campaign will reach its target.

John Morgan, a prominent Florida attorney and longtime Democratic donor who contributed $1 million to Biden’s campaign, dismissed the idea with sarcasm during an interview with NBC.

He said, "I don’t believe a library will ever be built unless it’s a bookmobile from the old days. It is my opinion no significant building will be built."

Republicans have seized the opportunity to mock Biden’s efforts. Sean Spicer, who served as press secretary during Trump's first term, quipped, "I actually feel bad, and I'm being serious, he's going to get like a food truck for a presidential library if he's not careful."

Democrats criticize Biden for not preparing fundraising while in office

Some Democrats have also criticized Joe Biden for failing to lay the groundwork for fundraising while in office. They point to past presidents who acted more decisively, Barack Obama secured a site for his library before leaving the White House, and George HW Bush announced his library’s location at Texas A&M more than a year before his presidency ended.

A former Democratic official remarked, “I think there's a sense he's not as relevant to the debates that we're having right now. I do not expect that donors or organizations are going to seek him out in large numbers.”

Adding to the challenge, some potential donors, both individuals and corporations, fear becoming targets of Trump’s social media attacks if they contribute to Biden’s project.

Despite the skepticism, Rufus Gifford, a Democratic fundraiser and board member for the library, remains optimistic.

“There’s certainly folks who may have been not thinking about those kinds of issues who are starting to think about them,” he said. “That being said, we’re not going to create a budget, we’re not going to set a goal for ourselves that we don’t believe we can hit."

Meanwhile, the overall cost of presidential libraries continues to skyrocket. Even before Obama’s ambitious $1.6 billion project, expenses had been steadily climbing, posing yet another obstacle for Biden’s team as they push forward.