NationalWatch

President Biden is seriously considering whether he can continue on as the Democratic presidential nominee, according to a report.

The New York Times on Wednesday reported that Biden has told a “key ally” that he knows he may not be able to win re-election if he cannot convince the American people he is fit to serve after his disastrous debate performance. 

“The president, who the ally emphasized is still deeply in the fight for re-election, understands that his next few appearances heading into the holiday weekend — including an interview scheduled for Friday with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News and campaign stops in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — must go well,” the report said. 

“He knows if he has two more events like that, we’re in a different place” by the end of the weekend, the unnamed source told the Times. 

NEWSOM HEADS EAST FOR MEETING WITH BIDEN AS PRESIDENT TRIES TO KEEP HIS CAMPAIGN FROM HEADING SOUTH

President Biden speaks during a campaign event in Philadelphia on April 18. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Another top adviser to the president reportedly said Biden was “well aware of the political challenge he faces.” 

White House spokesman Andrew Bates disputed the report shortly after it was published.

“That claim is absolutely false. If the New York Times had provided us with more than 7 minutes to comment, we would have told them so,” he told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

MAJORITY OF VOTERS FAVOR BIDEN DROPPING OUT WHILE TRUMP’S BASE ‘APPEARS MORE SOLID’: POLL

President Biden faces numerous calls to step aside from Democrats after his halting, low-energy performance at the CNN Presidential Debate in Atlanta on Thursday. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy Biden campaign manager, likewise said on Wednesday the report was “false” during an appearance on CNN.

“There are a number of rumors floating out there. The president is in this race to win it. He is the Democratic nominee. And from our perspective, we are going to continue to do everything we can to make sure that we’re building a campaign apparatus, to reach voters,” Fulks said. 

Biden, who at age 81 is the oldest president in the nation’s history, is facing the roughest stretch of his bid for a second term in the White House. 

His halting delivery and stumbling answers at the CNN Presidential Debate on Thursday sparked widespread panic in the Democratic Party and spurred calls from political pundits, editorial writers and party donors for Biden to step aside as the party’s 2024 standard-bearer. In the past 24 hours, a small but growing number of elected Democrats have also urged the president to end his re-election bid.

MAJORITY OF VOTERS THINKS BIDEN IS COGNITIVELY UNFIT TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT: POLL

Congressional Democrats have warned that President Biden could lose to former President Trump in November, based on his poor debate performance. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Biden will meet with Democratic governors at the White House on Wednesday, just days after Democratic Governors Association (DGA) Chair Gov. Tim Walz led a conference call with the DGA to discuss the fallout from the debate. 

A number of the governors, including some who have been speculated as potential replacements on the extreme long-shot chance that Biden would step away from his re-election bid, have acknowledged the president’s debate performance was shaky but remained committed to supporting the president.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll released this week found that more than 4 in 10 Democrats said the Democratic Party should intervene and replace Biden as the nominee. Overall, 54% of the voters polled were in favor of Biden dropping out.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report.

A Democrat Senate primary candidate is selling tickets to comedian Dave Chappelle’s show in Detroit this month to raise money for his underdog campaign against Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.

In an event advertised on fundraising platform ActBlue, actor Hill Harper’s campaign invited donors to a live show on July 11. 

The Democrat candidate described Chappelle as an “old friend” in a statement to the Detroit News. 

PRESSURE MOUNTS ON BATTLEGROUND STATE DEMS AFTER BIDEN DEBATE DISASTER

Comedian Dave Chappelle, center, is performing a show for the benefit of Hill Harper, left, ahead of the U.S. Senate primary in Michigan against Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin. (Getty Images/File)

A representative for Chappelle told Fox News Digital that the show was just like any of the comedian’s other planned shows and Harper’s campaign had purchased a number of tickets to resell for his election effort, with Chappelle’s approval. 

Harper’s campaign was contacted by Fox News Digital.

A poster for the event says it is paid for by “Harper for Michigan” and the event is set to be at St. Andrews Hall.

“We are thrilled to extend an exclusive invitation to you for an unforgettable evening with comedy icon Dave Chappelle! Join us for a live show in Detroit on Thursday July 11th. Doors open at 6:00 PM, and the show starts at 7:30 PM,” the invitation reads. 

GOP SENATE CANDIDATE TIES OPPONENT TO BIDEN DEBATE: BOB CASEY KNEW

Dave Chappelle (Mike Coppola/File)

Guests can buy tickets for as much as $3,300 for “Gold Circle + VIP Reception,” which allows them to attend an event after the show with Harper. The least expensive tickets for the event cost $250 for balcony seating.

Cellphones are restricted at the performance, which is common for Chappelle’s shows.

Slotkin, considered the front-runner in the Michigan Democrat primary, is a current House member who previously flipped a Republican district in the swing state. With the retirement of Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the state’s Senate race is rated “Lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report.

CONGRESSIONAL DEMS BLAST RULING ON TRUMP IMMUNITY: ‘EXTREME RIGHT-WING SUPREME COURT’

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. (Getty Images/File)

The Senate primary elections in Michigan will be held on Aug. 6.

On the Republican side, former Rep. Mike Rogers, businessman Sandy Pensler and former Rep. Justin Amash are competing for the party’s nomination. Rogers appears to have a significant edge over his opponents with the support of former President Trump and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

TRUMP ALLIES CELEBRATE BLOW TO ‘SENSELESS LAWFARE’ IN SUPREME COURT IMMUNITY DECISION

Former President Trump listens as Senate candidate and former Rep. Mike Rogers speaks at a campaign rally in Freeland, Michigan, on May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Michigan is expected to play a pivotal role in deciding both the presidential election and which party will control the Senate in 2025. The state’s significant Arab population has posed an issue for some Democrats already, including President Biden, as many have expressed frustration over his handling of the war between Israel and terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.

Harper has seized on Slotkin’s reluctance to call for a cease-fire in Gaza, previously claiming she wouldn’t do so because of “checks.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Chappelle has been vocal about the war in Gaza, reportedly calling it a “genocide” during a show in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, last month.

Slotkin’s campaign did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

As calls for President Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race increase in the wake of last week’s presidential debate, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer may be a top pick to replace him on the ticket, despite denying involvement in a “Draft Gretch” shadow campaign. But her chances against former President Donald Trump in November would be an uphill battle, according to one expert.

“She’s doing the right thing in terms of denying that she’s interested because she can’t appear to be disloyal,” said Tevi Troy, a former White House aide and deputy secretary of Health and Human Services under the Bush administration, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“I had a politician friend of mine describe this to me as the Cinderella at the ball scenario. Everyone knows that the clock is running out and that at midnight everything changes, but at the same time, the prince is handsome, and the champagne is flowing, so you’re enjoying the dancing. But the smart people are kind of eyeing the door and making sure they’re positioned at the door while they’re dancing around midnight.”

NEWSOM’S PROGRESSIVE ACTIVISM, DEBATE SKILLS AMONG VULNERABILITIES IN POTENTIAL NATIONAL CAMPAIGN: EXPERT

President Biden, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, second from right, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., far right, attend the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Sept. 14, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Whitmer, who won re-election in 2022 by a double-digit margin, has previously hinted at interest in a presidential run and has reportedly vaulted to the top of the list in terms of donor preference in recent weeks.

Online supporters have been pushing a “Draft Gretch” message, and Politico reported after the debate that Whitmer spoke with Democratic Party leadership and disavowed that movement while disagreeing with reports that said she warned Biden has no chance of winning Michigan, calling it “total bulls—.”

“I am proud to support Joe Biden as our nominee and I am behind him 100 percent in the fight to defeat Donald Trump,” Whitmer said in a statement on Monday. “Not only do I believe Joe can win Michigan, I know he can because he’s got the receipts.”

NEWSOM TO HEADLINE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN EVENT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE EVENT

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (AP Photo/Paul Sancya/File)

Her weakness, however, is that Whitmer is not particularly well-known among the average American as someone of prominence.

“She’s a popular governor in a swing state,” said Troy, who is also a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center. “So, she’s got a lot of positive qualities, but at the same time, she’s not truly vetted, and most of these people who could potentially face Trump or replace Biden are not fully vetted.”

Whitmer drew attention for her “heavy-handed” restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in her state, and she has also signed pro-LGBTQ+ legislation through implementing the state’s first LGBTQ+ Commission last year. She also repealed several of the state’s abortion restrictions, enshrining the right to the procedure in the state’s constitution.

“I think the biggest weakness is not any of the weaknesses we know but what we don’t know,” Troy said. 

That could change after the release of Whitmer’s book, “True Gretch,” next week.

BIDEN’S INNER CIRCLE SILENT AS PARTY REELS FOLLOWING ‘EMBARRASSING’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE

This image provided by Simon & Schuster shows the cover of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s book titled “True Gretch.”

Biden’s lackluster debate performance has also put the spotlight on Vice President Harris, who has started to show off a more visible campaign role as November approaches.

Harris suddenly figures to play a defining role in the campaign, a turnaround for a vice president who many critics have panned as a potential liability for Democrats in November.

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller and Michael Lee contributed to this report.

Amid growing calls from some Democrats and liberals for President Biden to step aside after his disastrous debate performance last week, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been touted as a possible replacement, raising questions about how she would handle the border crisis.

Whitmer, as a governor of a swing state, has been named as someone who could step into the role of the 2024 presidential nominee for Democrats if Biden were to step down. Previous polling has suggested she would fare the best out of a number of candidates against former President Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

Should she receive the nomination and win in November, she would step into a federal leadership role at a time when immigration policy and the ongoing crisis at the southern border are top issues for voters and for the country.

DO THESE POTENTIAL BIDEN REPLACEMENTS HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BEAT TRUMP?

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer attends a canvass kickoff in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Aug. 2, 2022. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Whitmer has been largely supportive of what President Biden has done in terms of immigration policy. When Biden announced additional restrictions on asylum last month, she issued a glowing statement approving of the move and saying that he is “delivering.”

“President Biden’s executive action will help secure our country’s border by making it easier for immigration officers to remove those who are here unlawfully, reducing the burden on our Border Patrol agents. Today’s announcement builds on the president’s work to deploy a record number of border agents and officers to the southern border,” she said. “The American people want real solutions, and President Biden is delivering today.”

Like other Democrats, she also backed Biden’s broader calls for a comprehensive immigration bill to fix what the administration has called a “broken” immigration system.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

That plan included sweeping reforms, additional visa pathways, extra funding and a pathway to U.S. citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants. It was rejected by Republicans in part due to the inclusion of an amnesty. Whitmer wants it passed.

“President Biden sent Congress a comprehensive immigration reform plan on day 1 and repeatedly requested more border resources from Congress, only to be blocked by Republicans,” she said last month. “They should stop playing political games and work with the administration on a coordinated, bipartisan federal solution to fix our broken system.”

Like Biden, she has also been deeply critical of former President Trump’s attitudes toward the border. She previously noted that she sent the National Guard to the border during Trump’s term in office, and she has blamed him for killing a separate bipartisan Senate deal to provide funding for the border.

HOW WOULD A PRESIDENT NEWSOM HANDLE BORDER, IMMIGRATION POLICY?

“He told the Republicans to walk away, and they did,” she said in April.

Migrants arrive at a makeshift camp after crossing the border from Mexico near Jacumba Hot Springs in San Diego on Feb. 23, 2024. (Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

In the state itself, she has given some indications that she may take a harder line on illegal immigration, certainly tougher than some activists would want.

She has provided multiple National Guard deployments to the border, both during the Trump administration and the Biden administration in support of Texas.

According to her office, she sent 175 personnel between 2020 and 2021, and 37 have been stationed since 2020. She also visited Michigan soldiers at the border in 2022.

BIDEN VOWS TO KEEP WHITE HOUSE, UNDETERRED BY DEMOCRAT PANIC AFTER DEBATE DISASTER

Unlike other potential Democrats, like Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom, she has taken a hard line against illegal immigrants receiving state benefits. In California, illegal immigrants are eligible for state Medicaid. But Whitmer has shown no sign of echoing that approach.

“If you are here illegally, I do not believe that you should have access,” Whitmer said in April, according to the Detroit Free Press.

 CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Whitmer has come under fire from some Republicans for a Newcomer Rental Subsidy program, which provides some immigrants up to $500 in rental assistance. However, it is aimed to help asylees, refugees and others who have valid immigration status in the U.S. and explicitly states that those in the country illegally are not eligible for the program.

A Honduran illegal immigrant has been charged with sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Iowa, Fox News Digital has confirmed. 

It’s the latest instance of a crime allegedly committed by someone in the country illegally.

Junior Manuel Dubon Benitez, 18, was charged with sexual abuse in the second degree, according to Iowa court documents obtained by Fox. The incident allegedly happened in February and involved “sexual abuse upon Jane Doe, a 12-year-old child.”

The documents were first reported by the Washington Examiner, which reported that Benitez pleaded guilty in Iowa District Court in Black Hawk County May 14.

OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AREN’T UNDER FEDERAL SUPERVISION: ANALYSIS 

Migrants are processed by the U.S. Border Patrol near Jacumba Hot Springs after crossing the U.S.-Mexican border June 13, 2024, in San Diego. (Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told Fox News Digital Dubon Benitez is a Honduran national who illegally entered via Hidalgo, Texas, in April 2022. ICE said it has issued a detainer with the prison, which is a request that, upon his release, he be turned over to the agency so it can place him in removal proceedings. 

The charges come amid an ongoing crisis at the southern border that has become one of the top political issues in the country, in part, due to a number of high-profile crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants.

Two Venezuelan illegal immigrants were charged last month with capital murder in the death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston. Authorities said she was “lured” under a bridge in Houston before she was tied up and killed. 

The arrests came the same week as the arrest of an Ecuadorian national in the U.S. illegally for a broad daylight sex attack in which police said a machete-wielding man raped a 13-year-old girl at a New York City park. 

Police also announced that an illegal migrant from El Salvador had been arrested for the murder of Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five. The crimes are part of a broader wave of crimes across the U.S. committed by those in the country illegally.

BLUE STATE DEPLOYS OFFICIALS TO THE BORDER WITH SURPRISING WARNING FOR MIGRANTS

ICE agents conduct an enforcement operation in the U.S. interior June 2, 2022. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

The issue was highlighted in the presidential debate last week, with former President Trump blaming President Biden for the crimes.

“They’re killing our people in New York and California and every state in the union because we don’t have borders anymore. Every state is now a border,” Trump said. “And because of his ridiculous, insane and very stupid policies, people are coming in, and they’re killing our citizens at a level that we’ve never seen.

“We call it migrant crime. I call it Biden migrant crime. They’re killing our citizens at a level that we’ve never seen before.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Biden pushed back, accusing Trump of torpedoing bipartisan reform efforts for political purposes.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“This bipartisan deal — more fentanyl machines to be able to detect drugs, more numbers of agents, more numbers of all the people at the border. And when we had that deal done, he went … he called his Republican colleagues, said, ‘Don’t do it. It’s going to hurt me politically.’ He never argued it’s not a good bill. It’s a really good bill.”

The Trump campaign slammed the White House and the Biden campaign for calling former President Donald Trump’s mental acuity into question.

“Never in history has a debate resulted in a candidate’s own donors and surrogates pondering whether their candidate should stay in the race, until now,” Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital.

The comment comes after the White House and Biden campaign questioned former President Trump’s fitness to serve, a response to questions that continue to swirl around President Biden’s mental acuity.

Asked during a news conference Tuesday if Biden had Alzheimer’s or any form of dementia, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “no” while hinting that the “same exact question” should be asked of the “other guy,” referring to Trump.

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE ANSWERS POINT-BLANK IF BIDEN SUFFERS FROM DEMENTIA AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE

Former President Donald Trump and President Biden (Getty Images)

Biden continues to face widespread skepticism about his ability to win the election and serve another term as president in the wake of a disastrous debate performance last week, resulting in many calling on the president to step aside and let a younger candidate take over at the top of the ticket.

The Biden campaign has acknowledged the president’s poor performance but pushed back against the idea he would drop out of the race, arguing Biden still has the ability to lead and is the party’s best chance at defeating Trump.

The campaign has also begun calling Trump’s cognitive ability into question, citing times the former president has confused who he was talking about.

President Biden stands at his podium during the debate against former President Trump at CNNs studios in Atlanta on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Kevin D. Liles for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

TRUMP CAMPAIGN DEMANDS APOLOGY FROM BIDEN AFTER ‘RIDICULOUS’ CHEAP FAKE NARRATIVE

“Donald Trump is unhinged and out-of-control, determined to make this country a dictatorship and punish his enemies with new powers handed to him by the Supreme Court – while also confusing Joe Biden for Barack Obama, Nikki Haley for Nancy Pelosi, and routinely ranting and raving about nonsense like sharks and windmills,” a campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

But the Trump campaign pushed back hard against the suggestion Wednesday, with Leavitt telling Fox News Digital that Trump “undeniably dominated Joe Biden in the debate and held him accountable for his failure, weakness, and dishonesty.”

Former President Trump (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

“While it’s been another bad week for Biden, it’s been a terrible three and a half years for the nation,” Leavitt said. “Inflation is crushing every family, Biden’s border invasion is bringing crime to every community, and weakness from the White House is encouraging chaos and war around the globe – and that is why President Trump continues to dominate Joe Biden in every poll. Americans feel the sharp contrast in their lives under President Trump and Biden.”

Several top Democratic lawmakers expressed their anger over President Biden’s public denial and deflection about his rocky debate performance, according to a report Wednesday. 

Some Democratic members of Congress told Axios they want Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to privately encourage Biden to step aside. 

Multiple lawmakers reportedly told the outlet they are enraged Biden had slow-walked reaching out to Democratic leadership after the debate, much less the rank-and-file members in competitive races. Those members, who were not named in the report, said they fear the president could jeopardize Democrats’ chances of holding the Senate majority or regaining control of the House in November.   

BIDEN BLAMES EUROPEAN TRIPS FOR DEBATE FLOP, DESPITE LONG HUDDLE AT CAMP DAVID: ‘ALMOST FELL ASLEEP ONSTAGE’

“I don’t know who’s making decisions,” one House Democrat reportedly told Axios. “Why the hell isn’t Biden on the phone with congressional leadership?… Everybody now thinks he could cost us the majority.”

The White House said Biden spoke with Jeffries on Tuesday. 

Lauren Hitt, a Biden campaign spokesperson, told Axios the president “has spoken personally with multiple elected officials on the Hill and across the battlegrounds since the debate.”

According to the report, lawmakers privately are growing fearful Biden is consulting only family members or people on his payroll in determining whether he should stay in the race. As the president’s inner circle slims, the lawmakers told Axios they’re certain Biden’s family doesn’t want him exposed to outside criticism, even if it comes from friends. 

An Axios report said Democratic lawmakers are enraged with President Biden over his deflection and denial after last week’s presidential debate. (Getty Images)

At a campaign fundraiser in McLean, Virginia, Tuesday night, Biden blamed his poor debate performance on his foreign travel in June, which included a visit to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, according to a print pool report with notes from a small group of journalists permitted to attend the private event. 

“I decided to travel around the world a couple of times,” Biden reportedly told a group of donors.

“I didn’t listen to my staff,” the president said, adding that he “came back and nearly fell asleep on stage.”

Biden rested for two days in Delaware and spent another six days preparing for the debate at Camp David in Maryland following his back-to-back trips to Europe, the New York Times reported. 

President Biden departs the White House on July 2, 2024, for a campaign event in McLean, Virginia. (Andrew Leyden/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

His debate preparation also never began before 11 a.m. and the president “was given time for an afternoon nap each day,” the newspaper said. 

MICHELLE OBAMA LEADS BIDEN, HARRIS IN MATCHUP AGAINST TRUMP IN LATEST POST-DEBATE POLL

The White House claimed Biden “was working well before then, after exercising.”

Even Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a longtime Biden ally, admitted in an interview Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” that it’s a “legitimate question” to express concern about Biden’s debate performance. 

President Biden and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser shake hands at the D.C. Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“I think it’s a legitimate question to say, is this an episode, or is this a condition? And so when people ask that question, it’s completely legitimate – of both candidates,” Pelosi said. “Both candidates owe whatever test you want to put them to, in terms of their mental acuity and their health – both of them.” 

Biden also agreed to an interview Friday with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News. 

Axios reported that major Democratic donors are now planning to move large contributions instead to House and Senate candidates before what they see as a likely second term for former President Trump. 

Even Democrats who once accused Trump supporters of “gaslighting” by expressing concerns about 81-year-old Biden’s age and mental fitness are reportedly fed up with Biden, more so over his downplaying and deflection in the debate’s aftermath, rather than over the debate itself. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

“Strangely, we are getting to the point where it may not have been the debate that did him in, but the aftermath of how they’ve handled it,” a top Democratic operative told Axios.

There are multiple letters circulating among House Democrats that would call for President Biden to step aside in the 2024 White House race, two sources familiar with those discussions told Fox News Digital.

Efforts have included both vulnerable Democrats in swing districts and left-wing lawmakers in safe seats, one of the sources said.

The letters are mainly being circulated at the member level right now, sources said, with lawmakers closely guarding the monumental decision they are weighing.

President Biden is under mounting pressure to consider stepping aside as the 2024 nominee. (Saul Loeb)

“Everyone is guarded now,” one senior House Democratic member told Fox News. “People may be just doing what they believe is best for them.”

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE ANSWERS POINT-BLANK IF BIDEN SUFFERS FROM DEMENTIA AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE

It comes after Reuters first reported that a group of 25 House Democrats was preparing to call on Biden to step aside as the 2024 candidate if he does not buck concerns that he’s not up to the task within a matter of days.

House Democratic leaders have not seen that letter, Fox News is told.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg News was first to report on the effort by safe-seat Democrats on Wednesday.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has not seen the reported letter signed by 25 Democrats, Fox News is told. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The news emerges as more Democrats come forward to publicly express their concerns about the 81-year-old president’s fitness for office. Questions about his physical and mental condition were brought to the forefront during last Thursday’s debate between Biden and former President Trump.

BIDEN BLAMES EUROPEAN TRIPS FOR DEBATE FLOP, DESPITE LONG HUDDLE AT CAMP DAVID: ‘ALMOST FELL ASLEEP ONSTAGE’

Democrats are now questioning whether Biden is the best positioned candidate to beat Trump, who they largely view as a threat to democracy.

The dam broke on Tuesday afternoon when Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, became the first sitting House Democrat to outright call for Biden to pull out of the race.

Concerns about Biden’s viability were spurred by his Thursday debate performance with former President Trump. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved,” Doggett said in a statement. “Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so.”

Hours later, Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash. – two of the most vulnerable Democrats this election cycle – came out and said Biden would likely lose to Trump.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Biden campaign told Fox News Digital in response to Democrats’ concerns, “He is absolutely not dropping out.”

Biden’s allies have pointed out over the last couple of days that he has been in contact with both Congressional Democratic leaders, and that he’s taken steps to alleviate concerns like agreeing to a sit-down interview with ABC News and announcing a press conference for the coming days.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients reportedly held an all-staff meeting Wednesday to urge team members to tune out the “noise” and focus on the task of governing, as senior aides scramble to contain the political fallout from President Biden’s disastrous debate performance.

Even as Zients acknowledged that the days since the Atlanta matchup between Biden and former President Trump have been challenging, the chief of staff stressed to White House aides the accomplishments and the track record of the Democratic administration and said governing will only become more crucial once the campaign season heats up, particularly after the Fourth of July holiday, The Associated Press reported, citing a White House official.

Biden himself began making personal outreach on his own, speaking privately with senior Democratic lawmakers such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons and South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, a second White House official and others with knowledge of the conversations told the AP.

TOP DEMOCRATS RAGE OVER BIDEN’S DEBATE DEFLECTION: ‘DON’T KNOW WHO’S MAKING DECISIONS’

On Capitol Hill, there is increasing anxiety as Biden has been slow to reach out to top Democrats and rank-and-file members, the AP reported, citing people familiar with ongoing conversations.

Top Democratic lawmakers also voiced their outrage to Axios about Biden dragging his feet in reaching out to the party’s leadership in recent days, much less the rank-and-file facing competitive races this year. The members, who were not named in the Axios reporting, took particular issue with Biden’s deflection, saying that his handling of the debate fallout, rather than the debate performance itself, could cost Democrats chances of flipping the House or maintaining their majority in the Senate in November. 

Democrats are unsatisfied with the explanations of Biden’s debate performance from both White House staff and Biden himself. And there is a deeper frustration among some Democrats who feel Biden should have handled this much sooner and has put them in a difficult position by staying in the race.

President Biden departs the White House on July 2, 2024, for a campaign event in McLean, Virginia. (Andrew Leyden/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Zients tried to rally the staff’s confidence in Biden’s re-election apparatus, noting that the president has a “strong campaign team” in place and that the White House’s job was to focus on continuing to implement Biden’s agenda. He also told staff that Biden has always made it through tough times, despite being counted out during his decades in public office.

The chief of staff also encouraged aides to “continue being a team” and, while acknowledging the increasing political chatter, to “tune it out” and stay disciplined, according to the official who spoke to the AP. The official was granted anonymity to relay Zients’ private remarks. Zients also urged White House staff to ask questions and offer feedback.

Staff-wide White House calls aren’t unusual, but Wednesday’s 15-minute check-in came as Biden and senior White House officials were working to assuage rattled lawmakers, donors and other allies within the party amid sharpening questions about whether the 81-year-old president had the competency to run for a second term in office.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN SENDS ALL-STAFF MEMO HOPING TO CALM POST-DEBATE CONCERNS

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients attends the congressional picnic hosted by President Biden on the South Lawn of the White House on June 4, 2024. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

According to Axios, major Democratic donors are now planning to move large contributions to House and Senate candidates before what they see as a likely second term for Trump.

Biden’s re-election campaign planned a staff-wide call of its own and says it will “be using emails and all staff calls more frequently to make sure you all have the latest updates and broader campaign priorities for the day,” according to a memo sent Wednesday by campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez. The memo insists the election between Biden and Trump will still be close, seeking to downplay the lasting effects of the debate.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also scheduled to hold one of their sporadic lunches on Wednesday, and the president was planning on hosting an assortment of Democratic governors at the White House in the evening.

President Biden listens during a visit to the D.C. Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Among the Democratic governors who were planning to attend in person were Tim Walz of Minnesota, who leads the Democratic Governors Association, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Daniel McKee of Rhode Island, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gavin Newsom of California, according to their aides. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy were planning on attending virtually.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

The White House has also been on the defensive against reporting that suggests that Biden was considering dropping out of the race. 

Andrew Bates, White House senior deputy press secretary and deputy assistant to the president, shot back in a response on X to the New York Times’ report Wednesday that Biden told an ally that he was weighing whether to continue his re-election prospects following the disastrous debate performance. “That claim is absolutely false,” Bates wrote. 

Biden also agreed to an interview Friday with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

A new national poll indicates that former President Trump’s lead over President Biden in their 2024 election rematch is widening in the wake of last week’s heavily criticized debate performance by Biden.

And the survey, released Wednesday by The New York Times and Siena College, spotlights a surge in concerns that the 81-year-old Biden, the oldest president in the nation’s history, is unable to govern the nation effectively.

Biden is facing the roughest stretch of his more than yearlong campaign for a second term in the White House. This, after his halting delivery and stumbling answers at the debate with Trump in Atlanta on Thursday, sparked widespread panic in the Democratic Party and spurred calls from political pundits, editorial writers and some party donors for Biden to step aside as the party’s 2024 standard-bearer.

Additionally, in the past 24 hours, a small but increasing number of House Democrats have also urged the president to end his re-election bid.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN SENDS ‘ALL STAFF’ MEMO TO TRY AND STEM DEEP CONCERNS

Former President Trump and President Biden debate in Atlanta on Thursday. (Getty Images)

The president is scheduled to huddle Wednesday evening with Democratic governors and congressional leaders in the wake of the debate debacle.

However, Biden’s campaign has repeatedly insisted that the president has no intention of dropping out of the race.

According to the poll, Trump now tops Biden 49%-43% among likely voters nationwide, which is a three-point swing toward the presumptive GOP presidential nominee from the previous New York Times/Siena College poll from just a week ago.

And Trump’s lead over Biden edges up to 49%-41% among the larger pool of registered voters.

A couple of hours after the New York Times/Siena College poll release, another well-known national survey made similar headlines.

Trump topped Biden 48%-42% among registered voters in a Wall Street Journal poll. The former president’s lead over the Democratic incumbent in the White House was up from a two-point edge in February.

RED FLAGS FOR BIDEN IN TWO POST-DEBATE POLLS ALREADY RELEASED THIS WEEK

But there were more red flags for Biden in the polls besides troubling top line numbers.

Eighty percent of people surveyed in the Wall Street Journal poll, which was also conducted entirely after the debate, said that the president is too old to run for a second term.  

Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters of those surveyed in the New York Times/Siena College poll viewed Biden as too old for the job, up five points since the debate. 

Concerns about the president’s age among Democrats spiked eight points, to 59%. And nearly eight in 10 independents questioned also said they viewed Biden as too old to serve in the White House.

President Biden reacts after speaking at a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 28. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

There was a little good news in the poll for Biden. He narrowed his deficit with Trump among independent voters, but that came at the expense of his erosion among Democrats and Trump’s improvement with Republicans.

Also, the percentage of Democrats who said Biden should no longer be the party’s presidential nominee edged up, rather than surging to new heights.

CASH DASH: TRUMP TOPS BIDEN IN FUNDRAISING RACE 

In a statement to Fox News after the release of the New York Times/Siena College survey, Biden campaign pollster Molly Murphy argued that the presidential race remains close.

“Both internal and outside polling confirm that the race remains incredibly tight and I agree with the Times that today’s polling doesn’t fundamentally change the course of the race. President Biden continues to narrow Trump’s support among independents, and we have work to do to bring home our coalition — all the while Trump appears unable to expand his coalition,” Murphy wrote.

And pointing to the Biden campaign’s advantage in ground-game efforts, Murphy argued that “the work our campaign is doing on the ground will be critical to win over voters in a low trust and divided political environment. Trump’s team is doing virtually none of that work, while also being saddled with the baggage of a toxic agenda to undecided voters. President Biden has work to do, but will be running on mobilizing issues that we are confident will bring him to victory this November.”

Ahead of the poll’s release on Wednesday afternoon, the Biden campaign sent out a fresh all-staff memo in an attempt to calm concerns about his chances of being re-elected.

The memo, obtained by Fox News, highlights internal campaign polling that shows a still-close race with Trump.

Former President Trump speaks during a campaign event at Historic Greenbrier Farms in Chesapeake, Virginia, on June 28. (Parker Michels-Boyce/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“We are going to see a few polls come out today and we want you all to hear from us on what we know internally and what we expect to come externally,” the memo reads. “Polls are a snapshot in time and we should all expect them to continue to fluctuate — it will take a few weeks, not a few days, to get a full picture of the race.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The memo, which was signed by campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez, showcases internal battleground state polling before and after the debate, revealing that Biden dropped by half a percentage point over that period. 

And pointing to the New York Times poll, which had yet to be released when the memo was issued, the Biden campaign emphasized that “we should all keep in mind that, just last week, the NYT themselves acknowledged that they are often a polling outlier.”

The poll was conducted entirely after the debate from June 28-July 2, with 1,532 registered voters nationwide questioned.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

Here’s what’s happening…

-White House maintains Biden will not suspend re-election campaign

– House Democrats circulate letter calling on Biden to suspend campaign

– Obama advises Biden after debate fiasco

Poll: Yes, She Can

Former first lady Michelle Obama is the leading candidate to take on former President Trump in 2024, according to a new poll conducted after last week’s presidential debate.  

A Reuters/Ipsos poll asked respondents who they would like to see take on Trump on the general election ballot amid calls to replace the current nominee, and President Biden was bested by both the former first lady and his own vice president.

When respondents were asked who they would vote for in a race against Trump, the poll found that Obama was the only Democrat to secure enough votes to beat the former president on the general election ballot…Read more

President Biden and Michelle Obama. (Getty Images)

White House

TURNING THE PAGE: Jean-Pierre addresses earlier book excerpt about working for ‘doomed’ candidate …Read more

GRIM DIAGNOSIS: Former WH doc says Biden ‘not the same man’ he remembers from VP days …Read more

‘STAYING IN’: White House insists Biden will ‘absolutely not’ suspend his campaign …Read more

‘SHAKEN UP’: Biden’s struggle to name top official left allies alarmed: report …Read more

BIDEN’S FUTURE: Biden’s future in question ahead of meeting with Democratic governors …Read more

Capitol Hill

HOUSE OF BLUES: Congressional Dems circulating multiple letters calling on Biden to drop out …Read more

ANGER AND FEAR: Dem lawmakers want party leaders to pressure Biden to step down: Report …Read more

‘SQUAD’ UP: House Dem leaders back ‘Squad’ member despite anti-Israel stance, DOJ probe …Read more

PACKING HEAT: Congresswoman charged at airport for gun in carry-on …Read more

Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), center, a member of the progressive “Squad,” faces a tough primary challenge.   (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Communications Workers of America (CWA))

Tales from the Campaign Trail

‘PAINFUL’ TO WATCH: Another Democrat says ‘Biden is going to lose to Trump’ …Read more

DEBATE IMPACT: Top political handicapper shifts two key states toward Trump …Read more

REVERSE CARD: Biden camp tries to turn tables, question Trump’s mental acuity …Read more

DECISION TIME: Biden weighing whether to continue re-election campaign, key ally says: report …Read more

‘HEAR FROM US’: Biden campaign sends memo to panicked staff after debate …Read more

‘CANDID CONVERSATION’: Several Dem governors will meet with President Biden  …Read more

FALLOUT: California progressive champion among contingent to meet with Biden Wednesday …Read more

PRESIDENT NEWSOM?: How would Calif. governor handle border crisis if in the White House? …Read more

US President Joe Biden, third left, greets Gavin Newsom, governor of California, from second left, Jennifer Lynn Siebel Newsom, London Breed, mayor of San Francisco, and Representative Kevin Mullin, a Democrat from California, at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, California, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, are set to announce an agreement that would see Beijing crack down on the manufacture and export of fentanyl, according to people familiar with the matter, potentially delivering the US president a major victory. Photographer: Philip Pacheco/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Philip Pacheco/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

AWKWARD LAUNCH: Incumbents often struggle with first debate, expert says: Here’s why …Read more

NEW SPOTLIGHT: Harris takes center stage as questions about Biden mount …Read more

CURIOUS GEORGE: FLASHBACK: Stephanopoulos knocked Haley’s claim Biden wouldn’t finish term …Read more

44’S WARNING: Obama cautiously advises Biden after shaky debate performance, looming showdown with Trump …Read more

‘ALMOST FELL ASLEEP’: Biden blames European trips for debate fiasco …Read more

Special Counsel Jack Smith delivers remarks on a recently unsealed indictment including four felony counts against former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Justice Department on August 1, 2023 in Washington, DC. Trump was indicted on four felony counts for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.   (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trials and Tribulation

‘HYPER-AGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR’: Jack Smith notches another major legal loss …Read more

BIAS ALLEGATIONS: FBI whistleblower alleges bureau improperly suspended security clearance for agents with ‘conservative views’ …Read more

Across America

‘LAWLESSNESS’: Vast majority of illegal immigrants aren’t being tracked: analysis …Read more

SHAKEN STIR: Trump Org slams NJ pausing liquor license renewal …Read more

DARING MISSION: Union soldiers who hijacked Confederate train during Civil War receiving Medal of Honor …Read more

ON THE BOOKS: New York law allowing universal absentee voting challenged in court …Read more

3-way split of leading United Kingdom party leaders: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the Conservative Party; Nigel Farage of Reform UK; and Sir Keir Starmer of the Labour Party.

On the World Stage

‘SERIOUS TROUBLE’: UK’s Conservatives face end of an era as Labour eyes historic win …Read more

RIGHT TO EXIST: Germany takes on rising antisemitism in changes to citizenship law …Read more

REUNITED: Putin and Xi meet up ahead of NATO summit  …Read more

Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Nearly a week after President Biden’s disastrous performance in a presidential debate, multiple current and former House Democrats are signaling they would back Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor if the 81-year-old leader chooses to step aside.

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., a member of the House’s progressive “Squad,” joined radio show “Mornings with Zerlina” on Wednesday, warning Democrats — and likely, by extension, President Biden — they are running out of time to decide whether to change course.

“If our president decides this is not a pathway forward for him, we have to move very quickly. There’s not going to be time for a primary. That time is past,” Lee said. “The vice president is the obvious choice. She’s sitting right there.”

BIDEN CAMPAIGN SENDS ‘ALL STAFF’ MEMO TO TRY AND STEM DEEP CONCERNS

Vice President Kamala Harris is seen as a likely successor if President Biden steps aside. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Lee also warned of the political ramifications of side-stepping Harris while pointing out the high voter turnout rates among Black women.

“We’re so willingly going to push aside an entire demographic, and I think that it would be very dangerous to do that, personally,” she warned.

It comes just a day after Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., a longtime Biden ally whose support was critical to Biden clinching the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, stopped short of airing concerns about the president’s viability. He added, however, that he would support Harris as the nominee if Biden did drop out.

“I want this ticket to continue to be Biden-Harris,” Clyburn said on “MSNBC Reports.” “This party should not, in any way, do anything to work around Ms. Harris. We should do everything we can to bolster her whether she’s in second place or at the top of the ticket.”

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE ANSWERS POINT-BLANK IF BIDEN SUFFERS FROM DEMENTIA AFTER DISASTROUS DEBATE

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., argued in favor of Harris on Wednesday. (Getty Images)

Former Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, who challenged Biden for the 2020 presidential nomination, also wrote an op-ed in Newsweek, “Kamala Harris Should Be the Democratic Nominee for President in 2024.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered speculation about Harris on Wednesday by insisting Biden would not drop out and declined to get into details about their one-on-one lunch earlier in the day.

“One of the reasons why he picked the vice president … is because she is indeed the future of the party. And he’s very proud to have partnered with her and continue to partner with her and delivering an unprecedented record for the American people,” Jean-Pierre said.

Questions about Biden’s physical and mental condition were brought to the forefront during Thursday’s debate in Atlanta. 

The dam broke on Tuesday afternoon when Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, became the first sitting House Democrat to call for Biden to pull out of the race.

BIDEN BLAMES EUROPEAN TRIPS FOR DEBATE FLOP, DESPITE LONG HUDDLE AT CAMP DAVID: ‘ALMOST FELL ASLEEP ONSTAGE’

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., also said Harris should be Biden’s successor.  (Brian Stukes/Getty Images)

Hours later, Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., two of the most vulnerable Democrats this election cycle, came out and said Biden would likely lose to Trump.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“He is absolutely not dropping out,” a Biden campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

If he did, however, Harris’ supporters have pointed out she would inherit the massive $240 million Biden-Harris campaign war chest.

Other names who have been floated as possible replacements for Biden are California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, among others.

Several top Democrats that called for the 25th Amendment to be used to remove former President Donald Trump from office during his tenure have remained silent on whether it should be triggered to remove President Biden, which some Republicans have suggested.

Fox News Digital reached out to Democratic Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Pramila Jayapal, Jamie Raskin and Maxine Waters along with Sen. Chuck Schumer who all declined to comment on whether the 25th Amendment should be in play with President Biden as they suggested it should be for former President Trump.

Section 4 of the 25th Amendment authorizes the vice president and a majority of the executive cabinet to make the decision whether the president is fit to continue in office or not.

At various points during the Trump presidency, Democrats called for the 25th Amendment to be triggered against the president for a variety of reasons ranging from the coronavirus, to Trump’s competence, to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol Hill riot.

MEDIA FLOATED 25TH AMENDMENT FOR TRUMP HUNDREDS OF TIMES WHILE IN OFFICE, VIRAL VIDEO SHOWS

Nancy Pelosi, Jamie Raskin, Maxine Waters, Chuck Schumer (Getty Images)

“It’s long past time,” Waters told MSNBC in October 2020 when asked if it was time to trigger the 25th Amendment based on Trump’s “erratic and bizarre behavior” and “spreading the virus personally.”

That same month, in the leadup to the 2020 presidential election, Raskin and Pelosi introduced legislation that would create a commission involving Congress in the process to remove the president if he became “incapacitated.”

“This is not about President Trump,” Pelosi claimed at a press conference at the time. “He will face the judgment of the voters, but he shows the need for us to create a process for future presidents.”

CORNELL LAW PROFESSOR CALLS TO INVOKE 25TH AMENDMENT AFTER BIDEN’S DEBATE PERFORMANCE

President Joe Biden walks off with first lady Jill Biden following the CNN Presidential Debate at the CNN Studios on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

“Congress has a constitutional duty to lay out the process by which a president’s incapacity and the president of any party is determined. This bill honors the duty by creating a standing commission of top former executive officials and medical experts selected in a bipartisan, bicameral way. A president’s fitness for office must be determined by science and facts. This legislation applies to future presidents, but we are reminded by the necessity of action by the health of the current president.”

The legislation was the reintroduction of the same bill from Raskin in 2017. 

“Since January, President Trump has thrown our country into chaos at every turn,” Raskin said in a 2017 press release.

“For the security of our people and the safety of the Republic, we need to set up the ‘body’ called for in the 25th Amendment. The President can fire his entire Cabinet for asking the same question tens of millions of Americans are asking at their dinner tables, but he cannot fire Congress or the expert body we set up under the Constitution.  At a moment of unprecedented presidential chaos, the Oversight Commission on Presidential Capacity is essential, urgently needed and indispensable.”

Following the Jan. 6 riot, Pelosi, Raskin, Jayapal and every other Democrat in the House voted for a resolution calling on Vice President Pence to “declare President Donald J. Trump incapable of executing the duties of his office and to immediately exercise powers as acting President.”

“We are demanding Mike Pence and the Cabinet finally put America first and uphold their constitutional duty to invoke the 25th Amendment, ending Trump’s terror and his total control over the military,” Jayapal said. “Assuming the Vice President continues to put this lawless, dangerous president over the people of this country, the House of Representatives must urgently join my call to once again impeach Donald Trump.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

An Axios report explained that Americans were so shocked by Biden’s debate performance because they’re more used to seeing a more competent version of him. (Getty Images)

That move was backed by Schumer, who said Trump is “dangerous and should not hold office one day longer.”

Following Biden’s widely panned debate performance that has caused some Democrats to call on him to drop out of the race, several Republicans have floated the idea of triggering the 25th Amendment due to concerns over Biden’s mental abilities.

“Over the past 3 years, it has become painfully clear that our inaugurated President has slipped into a rapid decline,” GOP Rep. Clay Higgins said Wednesday.

“As a Christian principled nation, We the People must revere our elders and shelter them from unnecessary struggle and anguish. The 25th Amendment allows America to respond to this moment of crisis by gently removing President Biden from the world’s most powerful elected position. It’s the right thing to do, the Christian thing to do.”

Both the White House and Biden campaign have maintained that Biden is not dropping out of the race and is fit to serve as president.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that President Biden’s debate-night blunder in which he claimed no U.S. troops had died under his watch was made because of how “deeply” he cares about service members.

“The president was making a comparison between how many service members have died under his leadership versus in previous years. That’s what the comparison that he was making,” Jean-Pierre said during Wednesday’s press briefing. “He was doing that because he cares so deeply, cares so deeply about them and their families and wants to keep troops safe.”

The comments came in response to a question about Biden’s debate claim that he is the “only president this century” not to have troops die on his watch.

DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER DECLARES TRUMP ‘IS GOING TO WIN THE ELECTION’ AND US DEMOCRACY WILL SURVIVE 

President Biden looks down as he participates in the debate against former President Trump at CNN’s studios in Atlanta on June 27, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

“Truth is, I’m the only president this century that doesn’t have – this decade – any troops dying anywhere in the world like he did,” Biden said.

Critics were quick to point out that U.S. troops have died under Biden’s watch, including the 13 service members who were killed in a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzia International Airport during the U.S. mission to evacuate Afghanistan.

More recently, three U.S. service members were killed in a January drone attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in the Brady Press Briefing Room on Jan. 3, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

TEXAS CONGRESSMAN BECOMES FIRST ELECTED DEMOCRAT TO CALL ON BIDEN TO WITHDRAW FROM ELECTION 

Jean-Pierre acknowledged both attacks during Wednesday’s press briefing, noting that Biden attended the dignified transfer of the service members’ remains in both cases.

Four of the “Heroes of Kabul” who were killed in the August 2021 suicide bomber attack on the Kabul airport during the Afghanistan evacuation. (Courtesy of each family)

But Biden generated controversy during his attendance of the dignified transfer of the 13 service members killed in Afghanistan after appearing to check his watch as the ceremony unfolded.

Nevertheless, Jean-Pierre argued Wednesday that Biden “cares so deeply” about service members “and their families.”

President Biden looks at his watch as he and first lady Jill Biden attend the dignified transfer of the remains of fallen service members at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Aug., 29, 2021. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

“Let’s not forget that for some time, he carried a card in his pocket about how many service members were wounded and killed in Iraq and in Afghanistan,” Jean-Pierre said. “That’s how much it was a reminder to him, you know, the times that we live in.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Yet another Democrat has come forward calling for President Biden to quit. 

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez of Washington, who represents a district that voted red in 2020, is the latest member of her party to suggest that Biden will “lose” to former President Trump on the November ballot after his disastrous debate performance last week. 

Pérez said the first presidential debate of 2024 was “painful” to watch, and while many Democrats maintain their support for the former president, the congresswoman admitted that she believes “Biden is going to lose to Trump.”

“About 50 million Americans tuned in and watched that debate. I was one of them for about five very painful minutes. We all saw what we saw, you can’t undo that, and the truth, I think, is that Biden is going to lose to Trump,” the Democrat said in an interview with KATU-TV.

While the congresswoman does not believe Biden will win in 2024, she added that “a core tenet of democracy is that you accept the results of an election” and that primary voters have already chosen Biden as the Democrat nominee.

BIDEN’S CANDIDACY REMAINS UNDER THREAT AS TOP DEMOCRATIC DONORS GET COLD FEET

After the presidential debate, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez said “the truth, I think, is that Biden is going to lose to Trump.” (Bill Clark/Getty Images)

While most Democratic representatives remained mum the first few days following the debate, more lawmakers are beginning to voice uncertainty in the president’s re-election bid.

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, made a similar statement Tuesday, saying “Democrats are panicking” over the debate performance and that “Trump is going to win.”

RFK JR. REACTS TO BIDEN’S ‘ALARMING’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE: WE NEED A PRESIDENT WHO’S ACTUALLY LOOKING AT REALITY

“After the first presidential debate, lots of Democrats are panicking about whether President Joe Biden should step down as the party’s nominee,” Golden wrote in an op-ed for the Bangor Daily News. “Biden’s poor performance in the debate was not a surprise. It also didn’t rattle me as it has others, because the outcome of this election has been clear to me for months: While I don’t plan to vote for him, Donald Trump is going to win. And I’m OK with that.”

President Biden speaks during last week’s presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas became the first elected Democrat to officially call on his own party’s nominee to step down amid doubt over the strength of Biden’s candidacy.

“My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved. Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself. I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw,” Doggett said on Tuesday. “I respectfully call on him to do so.”

Rep. Lloyd Doggett was the first elected Democrat to call on President Biden to step down as the party’s nominee after the debate. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Despite growing turmoil among members within their own party, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is considering nominating Biden as early as mid-July.

House Republicans are crying foul over reported revelations that first son Hunter Biden has been sitting in on President Biden’s White House meetings in recent days.

“Joe and Hunter Biden have a record of selling their last name to foreign adversaries like Russia and China. Having Hunter now engaged in official, executive business only further enhances the urgency for transparency and accountability regarding the Biden family’s corrupt business dealings,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., called Hunter Biden “a walking national security threat.”

“He’s raked in more than $20 million from foreign entities, including the CCP, for the Biden [family]. He’s also the owner of the FBI-investigated laptop from hell. … Does Hunter have the clearance necessary to sit in on high-level White House meetings with his dad?” Steube told Fox News Digital.

HUNTER BIDEN HAS MAJOR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AS TOP ADVISER TO THE MAN WHO COULD PARDON HIM

Republican lawmakers like House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, left, and Rep. Greg Steube, right, are furious over reports that Hunter Biden is sitting in on White House meetings. (Getty Images)

It comes after NBC News reported that the president’s son has sat in on meetings between Biden and his top White House aides in recent days.

He began joining the sessions after Biden returned from Camp David on Monday, according to the report.

“Hunter Biden wants Joe Biden to remain president more than anyone in America. He should be worried [about] what a new attorney general would consider criminal activity under a possible Trump administration. No more sweetheart deals the moment his father leaves office,” said Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis.

Hunter Biden has long been a target of Republican scrutiny, with House GOP impeachment inquiry investigators accusing him of enriching himself via foreign business dealings by using his father’s political stature and connections. House GOP leaders also believe President Biden himself participated in and benefited from the schemes, something he and his allies have denied.

EX-REP CHARLIE RANGEL, 94, QUESTIONS WHETHER BIDEN BELONGS IN NURSING HOME, NOT WHITE HOUSE

President Biden and former President Trump take part in a debate at CNN Studios in Atlanta on June 27, 2024. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Hunter Biden was also recently convicted on three felony firearm charges and faces more legal troubles in a federal probe into his taxes. The latter case is going to trial in California in September.

The report comes as Biden is facing mounting pressure to step aside as the 2024 Democrat presidential nominee after his performance in last Thursday’s CNN debate, with concerns over his advanced age and mental fitness for office plastered across headlines this week.

Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., said on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria” that Hunter Biden has a vested interest in keeping his father in power because it’s a shield from the worst scrutiny.

OBAMA CAUTIOUSLY ADVISES BIDEN AFTER SHAKY DEBATE PERFORMANCE, LOOMING REMATCH WITH TRUMP: REPORT

“I think it’s probably very predictable that Hunter wants his dad to be in the White House. His best option for protection and immunity going forward is his dad in the White House,” Ogles said when asked about the report. “The moment you have a change of regimes, you’re going to have a change of personnel. And suddenly, Hunter is not going to have the umbrella and the protection of his father.”

President Biden, left, and son Hunter Biden are shown during the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on April 1, 2024. (Michael Reynolds/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The NBC News report said aides were “struck” by Hunter Biden’s sudden presence at White House meetings. One was quoted as saying, “What the hell is happening?”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president’s son was also present during debate prep, and she dismissed concerns about his presence when asked in Tuesday’s regular news briefing.

“It is a week where there’s going to be more family members who are going to come to the White House. I’m sure you’ll see some of them on Fourth of July,” she said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for further comment.

A well-known non-partisan political handicapper on Wednesday shifted two key states toward former President Trump in the wake of President Biden’s extremely rough performance during last Thursday’s debate.

Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved Michigan from “Leans Democrat” to “Toss-up.” Additionally, Minnesota was shifted from “Likely Democrat” to “Leans Democrat.”

“President Biden’s debate performance was so bad that it has forced us to reassess some of our assumptions about the race,” Sabato Crystal Ball forecaster Kyle Kondik wrote in explaining the shift of the two states. “Michigan and Minnesota move to more competitive categories in our ratings.”

BIDEN CAMPAIGN SENDS ‘ALL STAFF’ MEMO TO TRY AND STEM DEEP CONCERNS

President Biden looks down as he participates in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections with former President Trump at CNN’s studios in Atlanta on June 27, 2024. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden, who at age 81 is the oldest president in the nation’s history, is facing the roughest stretch of his bid for a second term in the White House. This, after his halting delivery and stumbling answers at the debate, sparked widespread panic in the Democratic Party and spurred calls from political pundits, editorial writers and some party donors for Biden to step aside as the party’s 2024 standard-bearer.

CASH DASH: TRUMP TOPS BIDEN IN FUNDRAISING RACE 

Additionally, in the past 24 hours, a small but increasing number of House Democrats have also urged the president to end his re-election bid.

However, Biden’s campaign has repeatedly insisted that the president has no intention of dropping out of the race.

President Biden, right, and former President Trump face off in a debate in Atlanta on June 27, 2024. (Getty Images)

Michigan, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, for a quarter-century was part of the Democrats’ so-called blue wall of states. However, Trump flipped all three in his 2016 presidential election victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Four years later, Biden won all three states as he defeated Trump in the 2020 election.

A Republican has not carried Minnesota in a presidential election since then-President Nixon’s 1972 landslide re-election over a half-century ago. It was the only state then-President Reagan lost in his 1984 re-election landslide.

However, recent polls in Minnesota indicate a competitive race between Biden and Trump, and the former president’s campaign is eyeing Minnesota and Virginia as it tries to expand the 2024 electoral map.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.