Biden says COVID-19 pandemic is 'over,' not sure if he'll run in 2024, and claims he was not briefed about documents at Trump's home in first '60 Minutes' interview

In his first interview with an American TV journalist in 220 days, President Joe Biden said the COVID-19 pandemic is "over."

Speaking to "60 Minutes" for the first time in his presidency, Biden told host Scott Pelley, "The pandemic is over."

"We still have a problem with COVID. We're still doing a lot of work on it ... but the pandemic is over," President Biden said. "If you notice, no one’s wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it’s changing. And I think this is a perfect example of it."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the current 7-day moving average of daily new cases is 59,856 as of Sept. 14, 2022. The current 7-day average of daily new cases is similar to the numbers in late April and in July 2021 – when there were many COVID-19 restrictions still in place across the country.

In December 2021, Biden raised the alarm for unvaccinated Americans.

"We are looking at a winter of severe illness and death for the unvaccinated, for themselves, their families, and the hospitals they'll soon overwhelm," Biden fearmongered.

Pelley asked Biden, "Mr. President, as you know, last Tuesday the annual inflation rate came in at 8.3%. The stock market nosedived. People are shocked by their grocery bills. What can you do better and faster?"

Biden replied, "Well, first of all, let's put this in perspective. Inflation rate month to month was just – just an inch, hardly at all."

When pressed about the 40-year-high inflation of 8.3%, Biden argued, "No, I'm not saying it is good news. But it was 8.2% or – 8.2% before. I mean, it's not – you're ac– we act– make it sound like all of a sudden, "My god, it went to 8.2%." It's been–."

Pelley asked if U.S. military forces would defend Taiwan from an invasion by China.

Biden declared, "Yes, if in fact there was an unprecedented attack."

When questioned if "U.S. Forces, U.S. men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion," Biden said, "Yes."

Regarding aiding Ukraine during the Russian invasion, Biden declared, "We're gonna stay with 'em as long as they need our help." Biden added that the United States would provide financial aid to Ukraine for "as long as it takes."

Biden claimed that he had not been briefed about the alleged classified documents the FBI found at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.

"I have not asked for the specifics of those documents because I don't want to get myself in the middle of whether or not the Justice Department should move or not move on certain actions they could take," Biden alleged. "I– I agreed I would not tell them what to do and not, in fact, engage in telling them how to prosecute or not."

President Biden on the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago | 60 Minuteswww.youtube.com

Biden was asked, "Sir, are you committed to running again, or are there certain conditions that have to be right?"

President Biden said, "Look, if I were to say to you, I'm running again, all of a sudden, a whole range of things come into play that I have – requirements I have to change and move and do."

He added that because of election laws and other reasons make it "much too early to make that kind of decision" about running for president in 2024.

"I'm a great respecter of fate. And so, what I'm doing is I'm doing my job," he continued. "I'm gonna do that job. And within the timeframe that makes sense after this next election cycle here, going into next year, make a judgment on what to do."

"Look, my intention as I said to begin with is that I would run again," he stated. "But it's just an intention. But is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen."

President Biden on running for re-election in 2024 | 60 Minuteswww.youtube.com