Sunday 27 November 2022 08:56 PM The Bidens depart Nantucket after spending Thanksgiving at a $30M island ... trends now

President Joe Biden, wife Jill and daughter Ashley boarded Air Force One together Sunday after spending their Thanksgiving holiday at a $30 million compound on Nantucket.

The president gave a thumbs up when asked if he enjoyed the trip - in which he indicated Saturday that he had tabled plans to discuss with his family whether he should launch a bid for the White House in 2024.

He was captured hugging a woman on the tarmac before the presidential plane was wheels up.

He's headed back to D.C. for a week in which the White House Christmas decorations will be revealed - and he'll host French President Emmanuel Macron for the first state dinner of his administration. 

Biden said Saturday that he'd tabled plans to discuss another campaign with his family during their Thanksgiving trip to Nantucket - spending the day shopping on the island instead. 

'We're not having any, we're celebrating!' Biden told reporters when asked how those 2024 discussions were going as he walked from store to store downtown. 

DailyMail.com later asked him if he'd made a decision about launching a reelection bid. 

'Not yet,' the 80-year-old commander-in-chief said.

He had paused in front of the store TownPool, where a 'Biden' long-sleeved t-shirt was hanging on the door, with the 'D' shaped like Nantucket island. 

'That's very neat of you,' Biden said walking over, touching the shirt. 

TownPool's co-founder Sean Dew reminded the president that they had spoken last year about his preference of chowder. Dew, a chowder aficionado, had asked Biden last Thanksgiving if he preferred New England or Manhattan clam chowder. 

'I don't like either,' Biden joked. 'No, no, no, New England clam chowder.' 

This year the president said his preference hadn't changed. 

'No it hadn't,' he told Dew. 'The exact same.' 

The day before, Biden skipped ordering clam chowder at the restaurant Brotherhood of Thieves, but Ashley and Hunter Biden had the creamy New England style soup. 

Hunter Biden also popped his head into TownPool, which sells Nantucket-branded merchandise and neon signs, and later came back to purchase a white, long-sleeved t-shirt. 

The president's whole family was out on the town with him Saturday - first lady Jill Biden, daughter Ashley, son Hunter and his wife Melissa Cohen and son Beau. 

At a press conference a day after the midterms, Biden had indicated he'd talk 2024 with his family members during his holiday break.

On Saturday, the president popped into a number of the island's stores - local vendors like Erin Hielle and more national brands including Ralph Lauren.  

At one point, the president walked up the windows of Lemon Press - a juice and coffee shop - and pressed his face up, with two little girls capturing the moment with a selfie, shared with the Nantucket Current. 

The owner of Erin Hielle, Erin Homan, said the Bidens left her store today empty handed after Dr. Biden couldn't find a pair of cream cords or pink velvet pants in her size. 

A sweater that daughter Ashley had coveted had sold out - but the first daughter had stopped in the boutique two times already and purchased some items.  

The president took a selfie with Homan and her husband, Gauthier Hielle, before leaving the store. 

On Friday, Biden and his family attended Nantucket's annual Christmas tree lighting - with the tree failing to light up on first go - after they spent Friday afternoon munching on cheeseburgers and lobster rolls and taking a shopping trip around town.  

The president, first lady Jill Biden, Ashley Biden, Hunter Biden, his wife Melissa and son Beau were all gathered on one side of the town square, where the tree was to be illuminated around 5pm.  

But when it came time for the big moment - the tree didn't react. The tpwn crier led the countdown but the failure of the lights to come on left the onlookers chuckling.

Several moments later, the tree managed to get flicked on so Nantucket could kick off the Christmas season. 

Baby Beau, who was spotted earlier slumped over Hunter's shoulders, was awake and providing some pre-show entertainment, jiggling to one of the opening acts. 

Ashley Biden - the president's daughter and Beau's aunt - held hands with her two-year-old nephew, shaking her hips and jiving with him as they waited on the tree to be illuminated. She even squated down to be close to his height, dancing on the cobblestones with the little guy.

President Biden took photos and videos of the two rocking out on his cell phone. 

It was a chilly damp night and, several times, the president put his arm around the first lady. The pair huddled together to keep warm and listen to a children's choir sing old favorites like 'Silent Night,' 'Jingle Bells,' and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.'

The town crier pointed out to the watching townfolks the Bidens were watching the ceremony from the sidelines. President Biden waved his baseball cap as they cheered him. 

Before the big tree lighting ceremony, President Biden's first stop Friday was the restaurant Brotherhood of Thieves, an eatery the family has frequented in the many Thanksgivings they've spent on the island. 

The Bidens lunched in the cozy ground floor New England bar. 

The president ordered the Brotherhood burger with cheese and tomato, curly fries and a Diet Coke. 

One diner who spotted the president at the restaurant commented online that he hoped the president ordered a Guinness, but Biden doesn't drink alcohol. 

First lady Jill Biden had a lobster roll and salad, while Melissa Cohen kept her cheeseburger order healthy with a lettuce bun. 

Even baby Beau had a cheeseburger - but only ate half - along with an order of curly fries, a popular side with most of the Biden family, the first family's server told DailyMail.com. 

Afterward, the Bidens popped into Nantucket Bookworks - another shop they're known to frequent - where the first lady purchased Christmas ornaments, a shopkeeper told DailyMail.com. 

The shop sells local, handmade ornaments. 

The Bidens strolled through Nantucket as the U.S. was battling England in the World Cup. 

The game ended in a 0-0 tie. 

'Team USA all the way!' Dr. Biden remarked at one point. 

'I'd rather it be 0-1. But it's good. England is tough,' the president later said, after the match's final.

President Biden and family meandered about the town for nearly an hour after they ate, killing time in a variety of shops before the Christmas tree lighting ceremony. 

Earlier, the trio of Biden women - Jill, Ashley and Melissa - were out shopping without the president, dipping into the island's cute boutiques on a dreary, yet warm day. 

The first lady wore all black - a hooded shiny black jacket, black leather gloves, black jeans and tall black suede heeled boots - and carried a black umbrella as they walked from store to store around town. 

Ashley sported a patterned shirt, a black puffer jacket, black pants and black booties, while Cohen - the wife of Hunter Biden - sported sunglasses, and wore a black peacoat over a plaid skirt. 

Ashley Biden had stopped in the Erin Hielle boutique Wednesday and promised owner Erin Homan she'd return. 

She did so with her mother, Dr. Biden, who 'started to try on some things' but 'didn't buy anything' because she was instantly recognized by other shoppers - who wanted photos with the first lady.