US President Joe Biden said he expects to be “back on the campaign trail next week,” further solidifying his commitment to staying in the race as more Democrats on Friday called on him to drop out of the race for the party’s nomination.
“The stakes are high and the choice is clear: Together, we will win,” he said.
His comments come amid reports that conversations within Mr Biden’s inner circle and within the Republican Party are at odds over the president’s future.
In recent weeks, the president has faced growing political pressure to step down, with calls from within his own party to drop out of the race, the loss of support from big donors, and growing pressure that his decision could cost Democrats control of Congress.
At least 10 Democrats on Friday alone called for his resignation, and his campaign pushed back in media appearances.
Biden’s reelection campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said Friday on MSNBC’s Morning Joe that the president will not resign.
“Of course, the president is in this race,” she said when asked about Biden’s plans.
She described him as “more committed than ever to defeating Donald Trump” and said he was the “best person” to take on the former president.
In a statement, the president referenced Trump’s Republican National Convention speech and said he would “defend” the former president’s record while continuing to “expose the threats” he poses.
“Donald Trump’s dark vision of the future is not who we are as Americans. Together, as a party and as a nation, we can and will beat him at the ballot box,” he said.
As the conflict continued Friday, the president was quarantining at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He tested positive for Covid-19 while traveling in Las Vegas earlier this week. The White House said Mr Biden was experiencing “mild symptoms.”
Since last month’s dismal debate, Mr Biden has maintained that he will continue to run, but his views on what it would take to emerge as the Democratic nominee have shifted.
After telling ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that “only the Lord Almighty” would remove him from office, Biden said in an interview with BET (Black Entertainment Television) this week that he would reconsider his campaign if doctors told him he had serious health problems.
According to a campaign memo released Friday, Mr. Biden is not going anywhere.
“Joe Biden has made it clear that he is in this race and he is in it to win,” the memo said. “Moreover, he is the presumptive nominee. There are no plans for a replacement. In a matter of weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee. It is time for us to stop fighting each other. The only person who wins when we fight is Donald Trump.”
Time is running out for Mr. Biden to decide whether to resign.
The Democratic National Convention begins on August 19, but the Democratic National Committee is expected to meet virtually in the first week of August to formally nominate Biden as the party’s nominee in time for statewide ballot deadlines.
The DNC Rules Committee is scheduled to meet Friday morning to discuss virtual roll call voting procedures.
On Friday, New Mexico Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich became the third Democrat in the Senate to call for Biden’s resignation.
“As he passes the torch, he will secure his legacy as one of our country’s greatest leaders and support the candidate best able to defeat Donald Trump and protect the future of our democracy,” he wrote in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
His statement follows one from Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who on Thursday urged Biden to drop his reelection bid.
“While I appreciate his service to public service and to our country, I do not believe President Biden should seek reelection for another term,” Tester wrote in a statement posted to X.
In the House, Rep. Jim Costa, a California Democrat, also called on him to resign on Thursday.
Reps. Jared Huffman (D-California), Mark Bigey (D-Texas), Chuy Garcia (D-Illinois) and Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) issued a joint statement Friday arguing that the “most responsible and patriotic thing” Biden could do was “step aside as a candidate.”
“With deep respect for you as an individual, heartfelt admiration for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership, and profound gratitude for all we have accomplished together during your presidency, the time has come for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders,” they wrote in a joint statement.
Illinois Democratic Rep. Sean Casten wrote in the Chicago Tribune Friday that he doesn’t think the president can beat former President Donald Trump.
“It is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I urge Biden to pass the torch to a new generation,” he wrote.
Other House members, including Joy Lofgren of California, Kathy Castor of Florida, Greg Lanzman of Ohio and Betty McCollum of Minnesota, also called on Friday for the president to step down.
Reports this week suggest that top Democratic leaders are leaning in the same direction.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have all reportedly expressed concerns about Biden’s candidacy in private conversations. Pelosi’s staff said in a statement that her comments had been misrepresented, and Jeffries confirmed his support for Biden.
Former President Barack Obama, Biden’s former running mate, reportedly said Biden’s chances of winning the election had been significantly reduced.
It wasn’t just lawmakers who turned their backs on Biden. High-profile donors, including actor George Clooney and Disney heiress Abigail Disney, also pulled out of their wallets.
Despite the defectors, some people are on his side.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most influential progressive voices in the House, has been endorsing Biden for weeks. She went live on Instagram Friday morning to talk about the risks of Biden entering the convention without being the presumptive nominee, potential legal challenges, and deadlines for voting access.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which consists of about 40 members, and the Congressional Black Caucus, which consists of about 60 members, both met with the president to voice their support for his reelection bid.
