The News
Top Democrat leaders have put pressure on US President Joe Biden to reconsider his reelection campaign, several news outlets reported Wednesday.
Both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries reportedly told Biden during private meetings at the weekend that he should step back from the Democratic ticket, multiple outlets said. ABC News was the first outlet to report the meetings.
Axios, Politico, and the Washington Post also confirmed the conversations, and the Post reported that a separate person “close to Biden” told the President that the only way to preserve his legacy was to end his candidacy.
A White House spokesperson said to NBC that Biden told the two Congressional leaders at the meeting that he would remain the party’s nominee.
The reports come just hours after Biden told BET News he would only step aside if a “medical condition” emerged, and just hours later confirmed he tested positive for COVID-19.