NationalWatch

The top U.S. intel official is warning that “actors tied to Iran’s government” are providing funding and stoking anti-Israel protests on U.S. soil in an “increasingly aggressive” campaign. 

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Tuesday issued a statement warning U.S. citizens of “concerning Iranian activity” and that Iranian government actors have sought to “opportunistically take advantage” of anti-Israel protests.

“Iran is becoming increasingly aggressive in their foreign influence efforts, seeking to stoke discord and undermine confidence in our democratic institutions, as we have seen them do in the past, including in prior election cycles,” she said. “They continue to adapt their cyber and influence activities, using social media platforms and issuing threats.”

Haines claimed that in recent weeks, people with the Iranian government have sought to take advantage of anti-Israeli protests in an opportunistic fashion, using a “playbook” the U.S. government is familiar with. 

“We have observed actors tied to Iran’s government posing as activists online, seeking to encourage protests, and even providing financial support to protesters,” she said. 

NEW GOP BILL WOULD MAKE BIDEN IMPOSE MAXIMUM SANCTIONS ON IRAN

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a meeting with a group of students in Tehran, Iran, on Wednesday, Nov. 1.  (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

“Furthermore, Americans who are being targeted by this Iranian campaign may not be aware that they are interacting with or receiving support from a foreign government,” she said, adding that all Americans should “remain vigilant as they engage online with accounts and actors they do not personally know.”

Haines added that it is “likely” Iran “will continue to rely on their intelligence services in these efforts, as well as Iran-based online influencers, to promote their narratives.”

GOP REPS RAISE ALARM BELLS OVER IRAN’S INFLUENCE IN ‘AMERICAN RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS’

Anti-Israel protesters marching in Manhattan, NYC. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

For months now, anti-Israel protests have erupted across the country on college campuses — some say in support of the brutal attacks on Israel carried out by Hamas — a terror group supported by Iran. Others argue they are protesting Israel’s retaliatory attacks in Gaza.

Tehran tried to take some credit for the attack as part of revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani during the Trump administration, though Hamas flatly denied the claims in a bizarre spat between close allies. 

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In November, a report by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) revealed that 15 Iran-backed militias across the Middle East that have “incestuous” ties to Tehran and are working as a “force multiplier” for the country to oppose Israel and the U.S.

Bill Roggio, senior fellow at FDD and co-author of the report, says the “root” of the problem the U.S. faces in the Middle East is “an Iranian regime that has nothing but animosity towards the United States.”

“[A]nd until we start hearing that from the administration, there will continue to be confusion,” Roggio said.

“The American public doesn’t understand these types of wars because the American government is willing to do things like negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran to treat Iran like it is a responsible actor in the international community,” he said.

Fox News Digital’s Peter Aitken contributed to this report.

A U.S. Navy sailor attempted to access President Biden’s medical records through a government database, the Navy said Tuesday, as questions and concerns about his mental capacity continue to hound the commander in chief. 

The unidentified sailor conducted the search on Feb. 23 by typing “Joseph Biden,” a Navy official told Fox News Digital. 

“On February 26, 2024, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Fort Belvoir was notified of an unauthorized access to medical records by an active-duty service member,” a Navy statement said. “A Sailor assigned to NMRTC Fort Belvoir searched the name ‘Joseph Biden’ in MHS Genesis, the Military Health System’s electronic health record, out of curiosity.”

The sailor was not able to access Biden’s medical records, the Navy said. 

WHITE HOUSE INSISTS BIDEN WILL ‘ABSOLUTELY NOT’ SUSPEND RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN: ‘HE IS STAYING IN THE RACE’

President Biden departs from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on Feb. 28. (Chris Kleponis/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service was alerted to the probe and opened an investigation that was conducted on April 24, the Navy said. The sailor was administratively punished and continues to serve in the Navy, the official said. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, but has not yet heard back.

President Biden’s performance in a recent debate has raised concerns about his mental fitness and cognitive ability. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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

Two days after authorities were notified of the alleged search, Biden made an unannounced trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for a physical exam. In a letter, White House physician Kevin O’Connor stated that the Feb. 28 exam was “an extremely detailed neurologic exam [which] was again reassuring in that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder.”

Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, recently visited the White House as part of his annual physical examinations amid concerns over the president’s health and mental acuity.

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

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Biden continues to be hounded about his mental and physical health following a series of missteps and last month’s presidential debate, in which he appeared flustered and confused.

A co-defendant in the Georgia racketeering case against former President Trump donated to the 2024 campaign of the Atlanta judge presiding over the case, according to news reports. 

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee received $150 from co-defendant Ray Smith III on May 25, 2023, according to campaign data filings reported by Newsweek. McAfee won his primary election in May, fending off a challenge from a civil rights attorney and radio host, Robert Patillo.

McAfee has been a judge for just over a year, since Republican Gov. Brian Kemp appointed him to fill an empty seat, and will now serve a full four-year term beginning in January.

Smith was the first co-defendent to plead “not guilty” after a grand jury returned a sweeping indictment in District Attorney Fani Willis’ case against the former president’s co-conspirators. 

TRUMP JUDGE SCOTT MCAFEE WINS GEORGIA PRIMARY

Former Trump attorney Ray Smith’s mugshot (Fulton County Sheriff’s Office)

Smith was accused of 12 counts of illegally asking state lawmakers to appoint a different set of electors from Georgia who would cast their votes for Trump in the Electoral College.

In 2020, Smith participated in state legislative hearings on behalf of the Trump campaign, arguing it was “impossible” to certify President Biden’s victory. 

“Because of irregularities and abject failure of the secretary of state of this state and the counties to properly conduct the election, it is impossible – impossible – to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election,” Smith told the Georgia state Senate Judiciary Subcommittee at the time. He argued that Georgia’s election was “flawed” and claimed state lawmakers held the power to choose presidential electors in the event of gross “irregularities” in a presidential election. 

Smith presented the Trump campaign’s case to lawmakers that Georgia election code was not followed in 2020 – claims tossed out of court – and interviewed several witnesses put forward by Trump’s defense team.

REPUBLICANS HAMMER JUDGE MCAFEE’S RULING IN FANI WILLIS CASE, CALLING IT ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’

Judge Scott McAfee at the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on Feb. 15. (Alyssa Pointer, Getty Images)

McAfee was randomly assigned the unprecedented case against the former president and presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee last year. 

Newsweek reported that Smith is not the first from the defense side of the case to contribute to McAfee. Wilmer Parker III, who represents co-defendant John Eastman, donated $500 to McAfee’s re-election campaign in March, according to the outlet. 

McAfee became one of the highest-profile judges in the country after bombshell evidence was revealed in his courtroom that Willis had an “improper” affair with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she hired to help prosecute the case. 

The case against Trump is now on pause until the Georgia Court of Appeals reviews Trump’s arguments that Willis should be disqualified. 

Earlier this year, McAfee allowed Willis to stay on the case only if Wade resigned or was removed. In a three-day evidentiary hearing, Trump and co-defendants argued that Willis should be disqualified because she was in a romantic relationship with Wade prior to his hiring and that she financially benefited from his post in the DA’s office. Both Willis and Wade denied those claims.

TRUMP GEORGIA CASE: FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM JUDGE’S ORDER GIVING DA FANI WILLIS AN ULTIMATUM

Former President Trump headlines a Republican National Committee spring donor retreat, in Palm Beach, Florida, on May 4, 2024. (Donald Trump 2024 campaign)

In March, McAfee ruled that “neither side was able to conclusively establish by a preponderance of the evidence when the relationship evolved into a romantic one.”

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Still, the judge said that “an odor of mendacity remains,” and added that “reasonable questions about whether the district attorney and her hand-selected lead SADA [special assistant district attorney] testified untruthfully about the timing of their relationship further underpin the finding of an appearance of impropriety and the need to make proportional efforts to cure it.”

He allowed Trump and his co-defendants to appeal his decision, which the Georgia Court of Appeals in May chose to take up.

Oral arguments in that appeal are scheduled for October. 

Smith did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Some lawmakers are making the case that the Biden presidency is a group effort in order to quell concerns over the president’s mental sharpness and health, as the party stands in disarray with some members considering strategies to dissuade President Biden from seeking re-election.

“A presidency is more than just one man, one woman, it’s an administration,” former Obama administration Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” last week. “I would take Joe Biden’s worst day at age 86, so long as he has people around him like Avril Haines, Sam Power, Gina Raimondo supporting him, over Donald Trump any day.”

The Wall Street Journal also published a report Monday that outlined how Biden’s “inner circle” – made up of Democrat donors and aides – reportedly kept his signs of aging a secret. Republicans have been more openly skeptical of Biden’s closest aides around him, questioning whether Biden is really at the helm of the country’s leadership at all.

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

President Biden is running for re-election this year. (Getty Images)

“Donald Trump’s running on common sense, on restoring common sense versus the lunacy of the last four years in the far left and the shadow government that now is running our country with Joe Biden as its figurehead. That’s what he’s running against,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., – a strong Trump ally – echoed Rubio’s belief that there is a “shadow government” made up of tight knit Democrat strategists, aides and lawmakers helping Biden behind the scenes. 

“We’ve all known Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and Obama’s been running the country along with [Secretary of State] Blinken and [National Security Advisor] Sullivan,” Tuberville said on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” “You can tell by Schumer’s actions, Pelosi’s actions, the first two years they were calling the shots.”

NEWSOM DOUBLES DOWN ON SUPPORT FOR BIDEN IN MICHIGAN: ‘I BELIEVE IN HIS CHARACTER’

President Biden speaks at a campaign event at Pullman Yards on March 9, 2024 in Atlanta. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

“Hopefully, the people understand that they’ve had total control, not the president but Schumer and Pelosi and all the deep state,” Tubrerville continued. “The deep state’s total control over this, and hopefully we can get control of it and get the Democrats out of power and get Trump and all the Republicans running this country.”

Congressional Democrats will hold caucus meetings on Tuesday regarding Biden’s re-election bid as the party becomes more concerned with the president’s ability to beat former President Trump in November. Lawmakers exiting the meetings have been tight-lipped, though at least one has said there is “no consensus” regarding Biden.

For his part, Biden has repeatedly stated that he will not resign from the race. He issued a public letter to House Democrats on Monday demanding an “end” to the party drama.

TOP 3 THINGS BIDEN HAS TO NAIL IN HIS PRIMETIME INTERVIEW: EXPERTS

Former President Obama, right, takes President Biden, center, by the wrist at fundraising event. (Christopher Gardner via Storyful)

“I am running. I am the leader of the Democratic Party. No one is pushing me out,” Biden said, according to an aide who posted his comment on X, formerly Twitter, last week.

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To prove he has the vitality to remain president another four years, the Biden-Harris campaign has organized a slew of nationwide campaign stops – including across swing states – for Biden to headline.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not hear back by press deadline. 

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. 

Senate President pro tempore Patty Murray, D-Wash., put pressure on President Biden to prove himself on Monday, appearing to contradict her own effort to discredit a report last month that suggested he was showing signs of decline in private meetings. 

“More than a week since the debate, and after talking with my constituents, I believe President Biden must do more to demonstrate he can campaign strong enough to beat Donald Trump,” Murray said in a statement. 

Patty Murray’s latest statement on Biden’s ability appears to contradict her defense of him last month. (Getty Images)

She noted that “our nominee must be able to articulate what Democrats have accomplished and everything we will do to make life better for American families.” 

CAMPAIGN CRISIS: DEMS WHO HAVE CALLED FOR BIDEN TO DROP OUT OR RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT HIS HEALTH

According to the senator, who is third in the presidential line of succession, “I have a deep appreciation and strong respect for Joe, who has led a historic first term as President. Still, we need to see a much more forceful and energetic candidate on the campaign trail in the very near future in order for him to convince voters he is up to the job. At this critical time for our country, President Biden must seriously consider the best way to preserve his incredible legacy and secure it for the future.”

President Biden delivers a speech on June 7, 2024, as he stands next to the Pointe du Hoc monument in Normandy, France. (AP/Evan Vucci)

The suggestion from Murray that Biden must prove his ability appeared to diverge significantly from her public statements last month. 

When multiple lawmakers revealed concerning observations of Biden in a bombshell report by the Wall Street Journal last month, Murray slammed the outlet for not including her defense of his ability. 

“Surprise, surprise – everyone attacking @POTUS is a Republican with an agenda,” she claimed on X, formerly Twitter.

“I made clear to the @WSJ regarding the January meeting on Ukraine that the President was absolutely engaged & ran that meeting in a way that brought everyone together,” Murray Tweeted. According to the WSJ’s sources, Biden spoke incredibly softly during the Ukraine meeting, also reading from notes to make points that should be easy to remember, pausing for long lengths of time and closing his eyes for inordinately long periods. 

Sen. Patty Murray speaks after the weekly Senate Democratic policy luncheon in the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 15, 2022. (Reuters/Jon Cherry)

“I’m not quoted – I wonder why,” Murray criticized last month. 

Sen. Murray’s office declined to comment on this article.

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Fox News Digital asked the senator’s office whether she believed her statements and sentiments were contradictory, if she stands by her comment on the WSJ report, if she contends that in January and as recently as last month Biden was not showing signs of decline, and if she thinks the debate was just a bad night, as Biden claims. 

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

As calls mount for President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race, his most likely replacement, Vice President Kamala Harris, spoke to the media in defense of the controversial anti-Israel protests that rocked college campuses over the spring. 

“They are showing exactly what the human emotion should be, as a response to Gaza,” Harris told The Nation magazine in an article published Monday, which focused on the possibility of Harris replacing Biden in the presidential race. “There are things some of the protesters are saying that I absolutely reject, so I don’t mean to wholesale endorse their points. But we have to navigate it. I understand the emotion behind it.”

During the 2023-24 college school year, agitators and student protesters flooded college campuses nationwide to protest the war in Israel, which also included spiking instances of antisemitism and Jewish students publicly speaking out that they did not feel safe on some campuses. 

Agitators on Columbia University’s campus, for example, took over the school’s Hamilton Hall building, while schools such as UCLA, Harvard and Yale worked to clear spiraling student encampments where protesters demanded their elite schools completely divest from Israel. 

POTENTIAL HARRIS WHITE HOUSE MURKY AS VP ‘NEVER EXHIBITED A CORE SET OF BELIEFS’: DEM STRATEGIST

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on June 28, 2024 in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Harris added in the interview that amid the war in Israel, which has raged since Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, she asked her staffers about the conditions in the Gaza Strip, including what people were eating and if women had access to sanitary pads. 

“I like to cook. So I said to my team, ‘You can’t make s— with flour if you don’t have clean water.’ So what’s going on with that? I ask questions like, ‘What are people actually eating right now? I’m hearing stories about their eating animal feed, grass’ … so that’s how I think about it,” she said. 

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

“Similarly, I was asking early on, what are women in Gaza doing about sanitary hygiene. Do they have pads? And these are the issues that made people feel uncomfortable, especially sanitary pads.”

An anti-Israel demonstrator holds a flag on the rooftop of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University in New York City on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Israel has become a lightning rod for the Democratic Party since October, with the party’s progressive faction, including members of the “Squad,” coming under fierce condemnation from the Jewish community and conservatives for not taking harder stances against Hamas. 

HOW WOULD A PRESIDENT HARRIS HANDLE IMMIGRATION, BORDER CRISIS?

Harris notably was cited by the media and White House sources late last year as urging Biden and the administration to be “tougher” on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as war raged, allegedly arguing the White House needed to be more sympathetic toward Palestinians. 

Student protesters gather in protest inside their encampment on the Columbia University campus on Monday, April 29, 2024 in New York City. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

Harris’ comments come as calls from members of the Democratic Party mount for Biden to bow out of the 2024 presidential race after his disastrous debate performance against former President Trump. If Biden were to drop out of the race, Harris is considered the top and most natural replacement for the president. 

THE EYEBROW-RAISING MOMENTS FROM BIDEN’S ABC INTERVIEW: DOING THE ‘GOODEST’ JOB HE CAN

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stand onstage and wave to the crowd at a “Reproductive Freedom Campaign Rally” at George Mason University on Jan. 23, 2024 in Manassas, Virginia. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Conservatives have been sounding the alarm that Biden’s mental acuity has been on a downward spiral since his 2020 election, citing repeated gaffes by the president during public events, with Democrats now joining those calls of concern over the president’s 81 years of age and mental fitness.

SCHIFF EXPRESSES DOUBTS AS TO WHETHER BIDEN CAN BEAT TRUMP: ‘DEBATE RIGHTFULLY RAISED QUESTIONS’

President Biden’s disastrous debate performance “changed people’s calculations about how candid they would be” about his cognitive issues, according to Olivia Nuzzi. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images | Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Biden has vowed to remain in the race, including in his first sit-down interview with the media since his debate performance where he argued the debate was simply a “bad episode” and that he is determined to win re-election.

Fox News Digital reached out to Harris’ office regarding her remarks about the anti-Israel protesters but did not immediately receive a reply. 

Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner told reporters that questions are being raised about President Biden “that need to get asked” – after he sought to gather a group of Senate Democrats to meet on the matter on Monday. 

“[The] most important thing we can do is defeat Donald Trump. If we don’t do that, we will set back America a generation,” he said. 

“I’m looking forward to the chance to talk face to face with my colleagues,” he added. The senators were away from Washington, D.C., during Biden’s decidedly poor debate performance and only returned on Monday. 

SCHUMER SILENT AS WORRIES OVER BIDEN’S FITNESS SWELL IN SENATE

Warner told reporters he was looking forward to discussing the “path forward” with his fellow Democrats. (Getty Images)

Warner had been making phone calls to other Democrats over the recess, trying to gather a group of them to meet on Monday to discuss the path forward in relation to Biden’s status on the Democratic ticket, a source familiar told Fox News Digital. But that meeting was never scheduled after the effort was leaked to the press. Instead, Democrats planned to discuss it during a regularly scheduled caucus meeting on Tuesday. 

SENATE DEMS TO DISCUSS BIDEN’S CANDIDACY AT CAUCUS MEETING AMID GROWING CONCERNS

Biden brushed off news that Sen. Warner sought a discussion with other Democrats about his candidacy. (Getty Images)

“I’ve had tough campaigns during my time. And, you know, sometimes asking questions, at least in my case, made me a better campaigner,” Warner said. “A lot of folks are raising some questions that need to get asked. But, end of the day, we got to beat Donald Trump.”

When asked about Biden’s debate, Warner said he wouldn’t “go through that.” However, he claimed, “I’ve had lots and lots of input from folks across all walks of life across Virginia. And we’re gonna have to talk about that.”

VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR BREAKS SILENCE ON BIDEN’S FITNESS, DEMANDS PRESIDENT PROVE ABILITY 

Biden’s debate performance was widely criticized and sparked a panic among Democrats. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

The Virginia senator smiled and said, “I’ll let other senators weigh in,” when Fox News Digital sought his response to Biden’s dismissal of his effort to gather Democrats for a Monday meeting. In an interview last week with ABC News, Biden said, “Well, Mark is a good man. We’ve never had that – he also tried to get the nomination, too. Mark’s not – Mark and I have a different perspective. I respect him.”

President Biden and former President Trump debated in late June in Atlanta. (Getty Images)

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In a statement on Monday, Warner said, “With so much at stake in the upcoming election, now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward.” 

“As these conversations continue, I believe it is incumbent upon the president to more aggressively make his case to the American people, and to hear directly from a broader group of voices about how to best prevent Trump’s lawlessness from returning to the White House.”

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U.S. officials say Yemeni nationals will be offered temporary protected status (TPS) for another 18 months in a move that a former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director is calling an “extreme risk for this country’s security and safety.” 

The announcement on Monday by the Department of Homeland Security – which means that Yemeni nationals living in the U.S. will be further protected from deportation and can apply for work permits – comes as Iran-backed Houthi rebels continue to destabilize the Middle Eastern country.  

“Yemen is a special interest alien country. We got to be careful of who we are allowing into the country because they have terrorist ties,” Tom Homan, a former acting director of ICE, told Fox News Digital. “We have already shown our current vetting is not as sufficient to keep us out of harm’s way, because most people with terrorist ties, terrorists in this world – you can’t find them in any database. 

“We don’t know who most terrorists [are], so I think it’s an extreme risk for this country’s security and safety,” he added. 

IRAN’S MILITARY SUPPLY LINE TO HOUTHI TERRORISTS EXPOSED BY DISSIDENT GROUP 

Houthi supporters attend a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 8. (AP/Osamah Abdulrahman)

“Special interest aliens” are people from countries identified by the U.S. government as having conditions that promote or protect terrorism or potentially pose some sort of national security threat to the U.S. 

The extension will allow an estimated 1,700 Yemeni nationals living in the U.S. to “file initial applications for TPS,” while around another 2,300 current beneficiaries will be able to “retain TPS through March 3, 2026, if they continue to meet TPS eligibility requirements,” according to Homeland Security. 

TRUMP APPROVAL RATING TOPS 50% AS HE LEADS BIDEN ON VOTERS’ TOP TWO ISSUES: POLL 

Houthi fighters march during a rally of support for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and against the U.S. strikes on Yemen outside Sanaa, Yemen, in January. (AP Photo)

“Yemen has been in a state of protracted conflict for the past decade, severely limiting civilians’ access to water, food, and medical care, pushing the country to the brink of economic collapse, and preventing Yemeni nationals living abroad from safely returning home,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. 

“The steps the Department of Homeland Security has taken today will allow certain Yemenis currently residing in the United States to remain and work here until conditions in their home country improve,” he added. 

In January of this year, the U.S. State Department designated the Houthis as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist group.” 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says “Yemen has been in a state of protracted conflict for the past decade.” (John Moore/Getty Images)

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“Since November, the Houthis have launched unprecedented attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as military forces positioned in the area to defend the safety and security of commercial shipping,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time. “These attacks against international shipping have endangered mariners, disrupted the free flow of commerce, and interfered with navigational rights and freedoms.” 

Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report. 

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave an unambiguous endorsement of President Biden on Monday.

The New York congresswoman and “Squad” member told reporters outside the Capitol that the president has “made clear” he will not step down despite concerns regarding his old age.

“I have spoken to the president over the weekend. I have spoken with him extensively. He made clear then, and he has made clear since, that he is in this race,” Ocasio-Cortez told the press.

BIDEN LASHES OUT AT TRUMP, SUPREME COURT AS MORE DEMOCRATS SAY HE SHOULD WITHDRAW

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks during a rally for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign at Fremont Country Club in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

She continued, “The matter is closed. He had reiterated that this morning. He has reiterated that to the public. Joe Biden is our nominee. He is not leaving this race. He is in this race and I support him.”

The 81-year-old leader’s disastrous debate performance two weeks ago has fueled concerns among his fellow Democrats that he may not be able to beat former President Trump in November.

Democratic Reps. Mike Quigley, D-Ill.; Seth Moulton, D-Mass.; Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas; Angie Craig, D-Minn.; and Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. have all come out publicly urging Biden to step aside.

TRUMP APPROVAL RATING TOPS 50% AS HE LEADS BIDEN ON VOTERS’ TOP TWO ISSUES: POLL

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., after returning from events in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Ocasio-Cortez told the press that the most important consideration going into the general election is defeating Trump, citing his recent convictions in a New York court.

“Now what I think is critically important is that we focus on what it takes to win in November. Because he is running against Donald Trump, who is a man with 34 felony convictions – that has committed 34 felony crimes. And not a single Republican has asked for Donald Trump to not be the nominee.”

Reporters asked the congresswoman what she has to say to those fellow lawmakers that feel they “need to see more from the president.”

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is seen in the Cannon Tunnel of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“That is all up to their own individual determination, but I’m here to make sure we win in November and that is my focus,” Ocasio-Cortez responded before leaving the press gaggle.

Democratic lawmakers were largely evasive on Capitol Hill Monday night when Congress returned to session for its first full week since the debate. 

Those who did stop to speak to the media largely defended Biden and directed their ire toward Trump.

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

President Biden has been “incredibly busy working the phones” and will continue to make calls through this week, a source familiar told Fox News Digital, and his strategy to save his re-election bid appears to be working. 

Biden has been facing mounting calls from members within his own party to step aside and suspend his re-election campaign following his disastrous debate performance last month. However, Biden is going all in to tamp down dissent among lawmakers, activists and pundits pushing for Democrats to dump him as the nominee, and rescue his suddenly tenuous candidacy, sources told Fox News Digital. 

“President Biden has been incredibly busy working the phones,” a source familiar with the president’s efforts told Fox News Digital, adding that Biden will be making more calls on Tuesday. 

By Monday evening, the tides appeared to be turning – at least, on Capitol Hill. More than half a dozen Democratic sources told Fox News Digital that the “breathless calls” to swap out Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee should be ignored.

WHITE HOUSE INSISTS BIDEN WILL ‘ABSOLUTELY NOT’ SUSPEND RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN: ‘HE IS STAYING IN THE RACE’

President Biden walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, July 7 after returning from a trip to Pennsylvania. (AP/Susan Walsh)

Amid numerous reports of House and Senate Democrats planning to abandon Biden over the weekend, the president began the day Monday by sending a letter to congressional Democrats saying he is “firmly committed to staying in this race” and argued that any further questioning of his candidacy “only helps Trump and hurts us.” 

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., reportedly had been considering holding a meeting Monday to gather support from colleagues to call on Biden to step aside.

John Fetterman, D-Pa., left, urged panicked Democrats to “chill the f— out” about President Biden’s widely panned debate performance. (Getty Images)

That meeting did not take place, sources told Fox News Digital. 

Instead, from the Senate, Americans saw Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., come out in support of the president, along with Sens. John Fetterman and Raphael Warnock.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), right, and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) walk up the Senate steps. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Other senators, like Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., would not directly commit to supporting the president, saying he first needed to meet with his Democratic Senate colleagues on Tuesday.

“I’m holding off on any further commentary until we have a chance to meet,” he told Fox News.

On the other side of the Capitol, however, House Democrats, including Reps. Bennie Thompson, Ayanna Pressley, Catherine Cortez-Masto, Rosa De Lauro, Dan Goldman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Steven Horsford and Jim Clyburn, rallied behind the president.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is seen in the Cannon Tunnel on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“The matter is closed—Joe Biden is our nominee,” Ocasio-Cortez told Fox News. “He is not leaving this race. He is in this race and I support him.”

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP FOCUSED ON CAMPAIGNING, AS DEMS ARE ‘IN DISARRAY’ AMID BIDEN CHAOS

By Monday evening, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who hosted a call with his Democratic colleagues — specifically ranking members on House committees Sunday night — said he still stands by the president. 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), center, arrives for a weekly Democratic caucus meeting on Capitol Hill on June 4, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“I made clear publicly the day after the debate that I support President Joe Biden and the Democratic ticket,” Jeffries said late Monday. “My position has not changed.”

When pressed on whether Biden is the best person to be the Democratic nominee in 2024, Jeffries stood his ground.

“Same answer,” he said.

A source familiar with the Democratic leadership told Fox News Digital that Jeffries’ position will not change.

“You won’t see Jeffries or [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Schumer come out against Biden,” the source said.

Rep. Steven Horsford, left, has helped Presidnt Biden to campaign in Nevada. (Getty Images)

The source told Fox News Digital that members of the National Finance Committee remain behind Biden, as do members of the Congressional Black Caucus and “most ranking members on the hill.”

Biden participated in a virtual meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus on Monday night. The president delivered remarks and answered questions from members of the caucus.  

“During the conversation, President Biden thanked those on the call, talked about the stakes of this election, and the critical role CBC leaders will play in reelecting him and beating Donald Trump,” the Biden campaign told Fox News Digital. 

Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., put out a statement shortly after the conclusion of the call, saying it “reaffirmed” her support for Biden and Harris. 

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL). (Mark Wilson)

“Undermining Biden only weakens our resolve to defeat Donald Trump in November,” she said. 

Also on Monday night, Biden got the support of Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragan and Deputy Chair Adriano Espaillat. 

“The chaotic calls you’re seeing for Biden to drop out are just noise from the media and professional Democrats. Sure, political operatives are having a public meltdown over one bad debate night, but let’s keep things in perspective,” a Democrat strategist and former Biden administration official told Fox News Digital. “Joe Biden has already proven he can do this job and, importantly, he is the only one who has beaten Donald Trump before.”

The former official pointed to polling post-debate, noting that those numbers “haven’t tanked” because “his age is already factored into how voters are approaching this.”

President Biden, right, and former President Trump participate in the CNN Presidential Debate at the CNN Studios on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“Millions of Americans supported him in the primary, and the idea of starting over with a new candidate this late in the game is pure fantasy,” the Democratic strategist and former official continued. “We have a known entity in Biden, who is running on popular policies, and trying to reinvent the wheel now is not just impractical—it is magical thinking.”

The official added, “While the political class is salivating over a scandal to chase clicks, voters aren’t going to abandon Biden in favor of Trump because of one bad debate.”

EX-OBAMA ADVISER SAYS BIDEN CAN’T BEAT ‘FATHER TIME’ AND IS ‘NOT WINNING THIS RACE’

However, Democratic sources told Fox News Digital that “the reality” is that Election Day is just four months away, and the Democratic Party “can’t just parachute a replacement in that can beat Trump this late in the game.”

“The reality is, it is too late in the game to replace the guy if we want to win — that’s it,” the source told Fox News Digital.

Additionally, despite reports of top donors considering pulling their support, the source told Fox News Digital that those donors “have a multi-decade personal relationship” with Biden.

“There is loyalty there, and he has delivered on many pieces of the Democrat agenda,” the source told Fox News Digital. “Kamala has not proven that she is a viable replacement — even though Biden has given her years of world leader meetings and more.”

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on June 28, 2024 in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye)

Meanwhile, some reports following the debate suggested chaos among staffers within the White House and the Biden administration, but sources within the administration sought to quell those concerns.

“The President has been counted out time and time again over his career, and especially over the past five years since he announced his presidential campaign,” a longtime Biden staffer told Fox News Digital. “From winning the nomination in 2020, to being one of the few to defeat an incumbent president, to rescuing the economy, to getting his legislative agenda through, to leading the party to defeat the red wave—he has continued to prove the doubters wrong.”

The longtime staffer added, “With that kind of a win-loss record, why would I panic?”

Another administration official told Fox News Digital that it is “ironic that the same beltway voices who’ve rushed to count us out every week of this presidency are pretending we’re unused to being counted out.” 

“That’s when we’re at our best,” the official said. 

COMER REVEALS WHITE HOUSE PHYSICIAN WAS INVOLVED IN BIDEN FAMILY BUSINESS DEALS, DEMANDS HE TESTIFY

Meanwhile, another Biden administration source told Fox News Digital that even amid the chaos, Biden “is still going to win” and that staffers are “keeping the faith.” 

“The choice is between someone who had a bad debate and someone who presidential historians said was the worst president in U.S. history,” the source said. “Democrats know that Trump is unhinged and unfit to be president.”

Even his opponent — former President Trump — has said he believes that Biden will be at the top of the Democrats’ ticket.  

Former President Trump, left, and President Biden participate in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections at CNN’s studios in Atlanta on Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Trump spoke exclusively with Fox News Digital after the debate on June 27, saying it was “a great honor to be on stage representing the people of our country.”

When asked if Biden would still be the Democratic nominee, Trump told Fox News Digital: “Yes, I think he will be the nominee.”

TRUMP APPROVAL RATING TOPS 50% AS HE LEADS BIDEN ON VOTERS’ TOP TWO ISSUES: POLL

When pressed further on early concerns from Democrats over Biden’s performance, Trump maintained that Biden would not be replaced.

“No, I don’t think so,” Trump said.

Then, touting his own debate performance, he told Fox News Digital that he “beat” Biden, and suggested he would have beaten any Democrat on stage with him.

“They wouldn’t have done any better,” Trump said. “No one else would have been better.

Republican presidential candidate, former President Trump speaks during a rally at Greenbrier Farms on June 28, 2024 in Chesapeake, Virginia. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Since the debate, Trump and his campaign have been relatively silent on the chaos within the Democratic Party. 

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However, a Trump campaign source told Fox News Digital that the former president prefers to focus on campaigning and the upcoming Republican National Convention instead of on his rival’s implosion.

“Democrats are in disarray,” the Trump campaign source told Fox News Digital. “Why get in the way of them shooting at each other?” 

President Biden’s physician said a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders visited the White House as part of his annual physical examinations amid concerns over the president’s health and mental acuity.

In a letter released Monday night, White House physician Kevin O’Connor said Dr. Kevin Cannard was chosen for Biden’s annual physicals “not because he is a movement disorder specialist, but because he is a highly trained and highly regarded neurologist here at Walter Reed and across the Military Health System, with a very wide expertise which makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems.”

The president did not see a neurologist outside his annual physicals, the letter stated.

O’Connor said he received permission from Biden and Cannard to release the neurologist’s identity and the nature of his visits.

WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING FUELED WITH EMOTION AS KJP SAYS BIDEN NOT BEING TREATED FOR PARKINSON’S

President Biden’s physician said Monday night that a neurologist who specializes in Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders visited the White House as part of his annual physical examinations. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“To protect patient privacy for the thousands of patients of the White House Medical Unit and the physicians who treat them, normally we do not disclose the names of specialists we work with,” the letter reads.

No signs of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, ascending lateral sclerosis, stroke or cervical myelopathy, were found during Biden’s physical in February, O’Connor said. 

He redirected to his Feb. 28 letter where he said “an extremely detailed neurologic exam was again reassuring in that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder.”

This comes after White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at a news briefing earlier on Monday that she would not identify Cannard or share details surrounding his White House visits for privacy purposes. Though she did say Biden has an annual physical evaluation that includes seeing a neurologist and pointed out that the results have been publicly shared.

The letter from O’Connor also highlighted that the results of Biden’s annual physicals have been made public each time.

FILE – President Biden speaks with White House Physician Kevin O’Connor at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 2023. (Getty Images)

Concerns surrounding Biden’s cognitive abilities continued to rise following news of visits to the White House by a Parkinson’s disease expert. The New York Post reported that a Parkinson’s expert from Walter Reed visited the White House at least eight times in an eight-month period, including for a Jan. 17 meeting with O’Connor.

O’Connor’s letter laid out Cannard’s background as a neurology specialist and explained that he has been the neurology consultant to the White House Medical Unit since 2012. It also stated that Cannard has examined Biden for each of his annual physicals, including his most recent one in February.

PARKINSON’S DISEASE SPECIALIST MET WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN PHYSICIAN IN WHITE HOUSE

President Biden has not seen a neurologist outside his annual physicals, according to White House physician Kevin O’Connor. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Cannard held regular neurology clinics at the White House medical clinic for the thousands of active-duty military members assigned to support White House operations, the letter said, noting that many military personnel experience neurological issues in connection with their service.

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Questions about Biden’s health and mental fitness were amplified following his shaky debate performance last month against former President Trump, which prompted several Democrats’ calls for Biden to exit the presidential race. Others in the party remain vocal about their continued support for the president’s re-election campaign.

Biden has repeatedly said since the debate that he plans to remain in the race as he seeks to defeat Trump for a second time in November. 

FIRST ON FOX: The president of the largest teachers union, who was mocked over the weekend for giving an “off-the-rails” speech, has visited the White House dozens of times during Biden’s presidency.

White House visitor logs show that National Education Association (NEA) President Rebecca “Becky” Pringle, who delivered a viral speech over the weekend that drew intense criticism, visited the Biden White House at least 24 times between 2021 and early 2024, a Fox News Digital review found.

In March of this year, Pringle met with Biden’s national economic advisor Lael Branard roughly a month after meeting with Jade Cabrera of the White House Office of Public Engagement.  

In February 2024 and December 2023, Pringle visited the White House as part of large gatherings with President Biden. Pringle had two other visits with Vice President Harris’s Deputy Chief of Staff Erin Wilson in October 2023. 

PARKINSON’S DISEASE SPECIALIST MET WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN’S PHYSICIAN IN WHITE HOUSE

NEA president Becky Pringle speaks at Philadelphia delegation on July 4. (YouTube/screenshot)

Over the course of 2023, Pringle met with at least two of First lady Jill Biden’s aides, including her special assistant and senior adviser, as well as a meeting with now-former White House Director of Domestic Council Susan Rice.

The visitor logs show Pringle participated in a virtual event with the first lady, along with American Federation of Teachers (AFT) president Randi Weingarten one day after Biden was sworn into office in January 2021. She also participated in a one-on-one meeting with President Biden in December 2022. She went on to visit several highly-attended White House events in 2021 and 2022.

WHITE HOUSE VISITOR LOGS CONTRADICT BIDEN SPOKESMAN’S VOW TO BAN DC OFFICIAL WHO PRAISED NOTORIOUS ANTISEMITE

During NEA’s Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly (RA) in Philadelphia over the weekend, Pringle called for transformative social justice change in the education system in the pursuit of equity. 

“To unite not just our members, but the nation to reclaim public education as a common good, as the foundation of our democracy, and then transform it into something it was never designed to be—a racially and socially just and equitable system,” Pringle said. 

“We worked hard to rid ourselves of a tyrannical, deceitful, and corrupt White House, but the reality is that the seeds that were sown during that horrible season continue to germinate,” she said, referring to the Trump administration.

The White House is photographed from Lafayette Park on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

She continued by vowing to “protect public education” and said, “We will fight privatization. We will fight vouchers. We will fight any and all schemes to drain resources from our beloved public schools,” appearing to refer to school choice.

Pringle, who donated $2,800 to Biden’s 2020 campaign and $500 to the Biden Victory Fund, said the union’s “work must be about electing people like” President Biden and Vice President Harris, promising to re-elect them this year.

She also said the union is pro- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), a controversial concept that has sparked backlash at colleges, K-12 schools, in all levels of government, and private companies across the United States.

The Florida Board of Governors passed a regulation in January limiting public funding for DEI, defining them as “any program, campus activity, or policy that classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation and promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals on the basis of such classification.”

School choice advocate Corey DeAngelis ripped Pringle’s recent comments in a previous statement to Fox News Digital, calling her one of the “power-hungry control freaks [who] think they own your kids.”

“These power-hungry control freaks think they own your kids. They’re in a cult that worships government and detests parents. It’s time to defund teachers unions and allow the money to follow the child,” DeAngelis said. “Becky Pringle pulled a Dwight Schrute. She is off-the-rails and desperate to maintain control over the minds of other people’s children.”

US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, waves with Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, at the National Education Association 2022 annual meeting and representative assembly in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Tuesday, July 5, 2022. Harris highlighted educators role in communities across the country and the administration’s investments to support students and educators, according to the White House.  (Photographer: Tannen Maury/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Last year while speaking on a panel, Pringle said that “racial” and “social justice” must be at the forefront of education policy in the United States.

“For us at the NEA, education justice must be about racial justice, it must be about social justice, it must be about climate justice. It must be about all of those things,” Pringle said. 

“For our students to be able to come to school ready to learn every day–We can never think of education as an isolated system because everything connects to our students’ ability to learn. So, we have to necessarily talk about housing justice, food inequality, and the reality that we all just went through a global pandemic together and of course it was the most marginalized communities that were already suffering from the inequities in every single social system in this country and every country.”

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Pringle previously faced backlash during the pandemic when she raked in over $500,000 while her teachers union was pushing for schools to remain closed and teachers were making a fraction of her high salary.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and NEA for comment on Pringle’s White House visits but did not receive a response.

Fox News Digital’s Hannah Grossman and David Rutz contributed to this report.

President Biden and his status at the top of the Democrat ticket in November are expected to be discussed by Democrat senators on Tuesday during a weekly caucus meeting as concerns continue to emerge among the party members. 

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., had been trying to gather a group of Democrat senators to meet on Monday to discuss a path forward amid the fallout of Biden’s debate against former President Trump, a source familiar told Fox News Digital. 

However, the meeting the Virginia senator was trying to plan is no longer being sought. The details of the potential meeting hadn’t yet been confirmed when reports of it emerged. Because of the leaks, the Democrats opted not to hold a separate meeting to talk about the president. 

DEMOCRATS’ SENATE HOPES COULD HANG ON SPLIT-TICKET VOTING COMEBACK

Biden brushed off news that Sen. Mark Warner sought a discussion with other Democrats about the president’s candidacy. (Getty Images)

Instead, the caucus will talk about the dilemma during their already scheduled policy lunch on Tuesday. 

“With so much at stake in the upcoming election, now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward,” Warner said in a statement Monday afternoon. “As these conversations continue, I believe it is incumbent upon the President to more aggressively make his case to the American people, and to hear directly from a broader group of voices about how to best prevent Trump’s lawlessness from returning to the White House.”

Warner’s office did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. 

UNDERDOG DEM USING DAVE CHAPPELLE SHOW TO GAIN EDGE IN PIVOTAL SWING STATE

President Biden raised eyebrows when he expressed uncertainty whether he had watched his debate performance in an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. (Screenshot/ABC)

While some House Democrats have made their concerns over Biden as the Democrat nominee publicly known, the party’s senators have been much quieter, even as his debate blunder dominated the news cycle. 

But by Monday afternoon, two vulnerable Democrat Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, made comments on Biden’s fitness to continue his campaign.

Tester claimed Biden now needed to prove to him, along with the country, that he could serve four more years. Brown didn’t go as far but noted that he was hearing concerns from Ohioans on the ground.

TAMMY BALDWIN TO STICK TO STATE TOUR INSTEAD OF JOINING BIDEN DURING WISCONSIN VISIT

Warner is chair of the intel committee. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)

PRESSURE MOUNTS ON BATTLEGROUND STATE DEMS AFTER BIDEN DEBATE DISASTER

Meanwhile, the revelation that Warner – the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence chair who often works with Republican colleagues across the aisle –was trying to facilitate a meeting with the sole purpose of addressing Biden’s status as the nominee became the most significant public development in the upper chamber late last week. 

When Biden was asked about Warner’s effort in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Friday, the president said, “Well, Mark is a good man. We’ve never had that – he also tried to get the nomination, too. Mark’s not – Mark and I have a different perspective. I respect him.”

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Biden also penned a letter to congressional Democrats on Monday after his interview didn’t seem to quell concerns brewing in the party. According to the president, he is “firmly committed to staying in this race.” He further warned his fellow Democrats that airing such concerns about his candidacy “only helps Trump and hurts us.”

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

President Biden’s ABC interview, given a huge buildup by the campaign itself, was a flop that changed no one’s mind about his ability to serve another four years.

Biden was raspy and low energy with George Stephanopoulos, lost his train of thought or interrupted himself a couple of times, insisted he wasn’t frail, dismissed polls he didn’t like and appeared to be in denial about the depth of the crisis he is facing. He was better than the disastrous debate, but that’s a pretty low bar.

It’s inexplicable to me that Biden let more than a week go by doing only rally speeches. He should be doing a half dozen interviews – not one – to demonstrate his mental acuity.

But then it occurred to me that his inner circle doesn’t think he can do it. Doing multiple interviews is such an obvious move that the White House, which hid Biden’s condition from many of its own officials and residence staff, would have him out there if there was more confidence in his ability to avoid blunders.

TEAM TRUMP SHARES WHY CAMPAIGN HAS STAYED SILENT AMID BIDEN DEBATE FALLOUT

President Biden walks across the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Sunday, July 7, after returning from a trip to Pennsylvania. (AP/Susan Walsh)

So, yesterday, the president called in to his favorite show, “Morning Joe.” MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, who talks to Biden regularly, including in the last week or so, is his most vociferous defender on television. While Scarborough said after the debate meltdown that Biden should consider stepping aside, since then he’s really dug in on defense.

Scarborough asked if Biden believed the Democrats are doing the same thing as Trump in 2020, trying to overthrow the popular will of Democratic voters.

“The reason I’ve been out on the road so much all over the country, and while Trump is riding around his golf cart … I’ve been all over the country, number one, and I’ve run over the country for several reasons. One, to make sure my instinct was right about the party still wanting me to be the nominee,” Biden responded.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Greenbrier Farms on June 28 in Chesapeake, Virginia. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Co-host Mika Brzezinski, to her credit, rattled off many of the critics who want the president to step aside.

“The New York Times editorial board, The Economist, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Boston Globe. Jerry Nadler. Seth Moulton. Let me go to Julian Castro, Tim Ryan, David Axelrod —”

“You’re kidding,” said Biden, who’s been angry at the former Obama-Biden White House official since he suggested last fall that Biden not run again.

“David Remnick, Richard Haass … Zeke Emanuel. … These are pretty big names.”

Biden’s response: “I don’t care what those big names think. They were wrong in 2020. They were wrong in 2022 about the red wave. They’re wrong in 2024.”

And in a closing rant: “I’m getting so frustrated by the elites. Now, I’m not talking about you guys but about the elites in the party who they know so much more. If any of these guys don’t think I should run, run against me.”

VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR BREAKS SILENCE ON BIDEN’S FITNESS, DEMANDS PRESIDENT PROVE ABILITY

Former GOP congressman Scarborough said Biden is well positioned to run against “media elites, New York Times editorial page, billionaire donors … Hollywood moguls.”

With all due respect to everyone involved, Biden is a pillar of the Washington establishment least able to make that case. Thirty-six years in the Senate. Eight as vice president. Almost four as president. He worked with many of these Democrats in passing major legislation, sometimes with bipartisan support. They love the guy. These are his people. They just think Trump is going to trounce him.

If you need further evidence that Biden’s team doesn’t trust him, look at two interviews that the president did with Black radio stations in Pennsylvania last week – an utterly routine task for any candidate.

The White House sent a bunch of questions in advance, then argued that this was standard practice and not a condition of the interviews. No, it’s an ethical breach.

President Biden sat for his high-stakes ABC interview with George Stephanopoulos after a rally in Madison, Wisconsin. (Getty Images)

Andrea Lawful-Sanders, who interviewed Biden on WURD-FM, acknowledged on CNN that she had used four of the advance questions, and the station has now fired her.

Sara Lomax, CEO of WURD, said using pre-determined questions “violates our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners … WURD is not a mouthpiece for the Biden, or any other, administration.”

Earl Ingram, a host at WMCS in Milwaukee, also admitted using the same four White House questions. The administration now says it will no longer send out suggested questions.

But even though he knew what was coming, Biden still botched the Lawful-Sanders interview. He said he was proud to be “the first Black woman to serve with a Black president.” Huh? 

While hosting a NATO summit in Washington this week, Biden promised to hold a solo news conference, which will be a good test of his agility when answering aggressive questions, but should have already been done.

Meanwhile, while a number of major donors say they won’t give the Democrats another dime if Biden remains the nominee, new information underscores the administration’s lack of candor.

HOW THE PRINTING OF BALLOTS COULD PUT DEMOCRATS ON DEADLINE TO POTENTIALLY REPLACE BIDEN

Kevin O’Connor, the White House doctor who has refused to do interviews, had a specialist in Parkinson’s disease meet with a medical liaison 10 times, beginning in 2022 and most recently in March. The role of that neurologist, Kevin Cannard, had not been previously disclosed. The White House issued a non-denial, saying a variety of specialists from Walter Reed visit the White House.

Biden has repeatedly refused to take a neurological exam.

Look, as someone who’s covered him since the 1980s, when he enjoyed talking to reporters, I can tell you that Biden has wanted to be president his whole adult life. He’s been written off many times. He’s extremely unlikely to give up the job now. And if that’s the case, with 99% of the delegates pledged to him, no one can take it away from him.

Some media liberals and Democrats are talking about a “blitz primary” to see who emerges at the Chicago convention, or having Biden resign and hand the presidency to Kamala Harris, but none of that will happen without Biden’s acquiescence.

Democrat strategist Julian Epstein says a potential Harris administration is a murky topic since she has not shown a “core set of beliefs on anything.” (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Now to the role of the media.

There is no question that the media failed miserably to penetrate a White House coverup of the president’s true condition. Maybe they could have been more aggressive. Maybe they were deterred by the strong White House pushback against those who focused on the 81-year-old president’s age, which has been in the news for months.

We could all see the decline, from what was on television, that Biden was mumbling, stumbling and at times less than coherent. If you go back and look at Biden from 2020 or 2021, the difference is stark.

When the Wall Street Journal reported a month ago that “Behind Closed Doors, Biden Is Seen As Slipping,” the story was widely denounced, including by the “Morning Joe” panel. Now others, from the New York Times to CNN’s Carl Bernstein, have reported even more damaging stories.

On Sunday’s “Media Buzz,” Mollie Hemingway and Ben Shapiro argued that this was an open secret and that journalists were deliberately covering for the president. Mollie said the White House press corps should resign en masse.

But in the following segment, I asked FOX’s senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich how much she sees Biden on the road, to which she responded “not at all.”

The only exceptions, she said, were increasingly rare shouted questions and an occasional gaggle.

Karine Jean-Pierre got absolutely hammered yesterday for not disclosing the visits of the Parkinson’s specialist, according to White House logs, but said she was barred by law from confirming any names for security reasons.

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I know Biden better than anyone at FOX, but I’ve had zero access to the president or his inner circle – which hasn’t stopped me from talking about the obvious decline we’ve all witnessed on television. And there’s no question that the overwhelmingly negative coverage of Trump, viewed by most journalists as a danger to democracy, is a factor here.

But the idea that journalists were sitting on these secrets negates how bubble-wrapped and isolated the candidate who wouldn’t even do a Super Bowl interview has been kept by his longtime handlers.

First lady Jill Biden said Monday she’s “all in” on her husband, the commander-in-chief’s re-election campaign. 

During a campaign event to address veterans and military families in Wilmington, North Carolina, the first lady said President Biden had always supported her career. 

“As commander in chief, President Biden wakes up every morning ready to work for you. That’s what this election is all about. You. For all the talk out there about this race, Joe has made it clear that he’s all in,” Jill Biden said to chants of “four more years.” 

“Thanks! That’s a decision that he’s made. And just as he has always supported my career, I am all in too!” she added. 

BIDEN STAFF PREPPED HIM ON HOW TO ENTER, EXIT FUNDRAISER ROOM: REPORT

First lady Jill Biden looks on as President Biden speaks to supporters and volunteers during a campaign stop at a Biden-Harris campaign office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 7, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

The first lady was to announce the formation of Veterans and Military Families for Biden-Harris during stops Monday in Wilmington, as well as Tampa, Florida, and Columbus, Georgia. The states have large populations of veterans and military families.

Her daylong tour is part of the Biden campaign’s broader effort to rebound from the president’s halting performance against Trump in last month’s debate, which led a handful of House Democrats and others to call on Biden to end his campaign because they no longer believe the 81-year-old president is mentally and physically capable of defeating former President Trump in November’s election.

Biden has insisted, during public appearances since the June 27 debate, that he is staying in the race. 

His campaign manager, Julie Chávez Rodríguez, said the new group will work to engage and mobilize millions of veterans and military families in the U.S. to vote for a second Biden term.

In Wilmington, the first lady cited a report that Trump, during a 2018 trip to France, referred to service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice as “suckers” and “losers.” 

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden disembark Air Force One upon arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Sunday, July 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

BIDEN’S EX-PRESS SECRETARY JEN PSAKI TO SIT DOWN WITH HOUSE GOP PANEL PROBING CHAOTIC AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL

“With four more years, Joe will continue to fight for you, the military community that he … that we are humble and proud to call our own. My dad, my father, served in World War II as a Navy signalman. And in 2003, our son Beau joined the Delaware Army National Guard and then served for a year in Iraq. This is personal to us,” she said. 

“We know what it’s like to wait to connect with a live phone call from across the world, to smile through another holiday with an empty chair at the table,” the first lady continued. “Let me ask you this – does Donald Trump know what it’s like? He describes himself as a sacrifice for this country. His own chief of staff said he called POWs and those who died in war losers and suckers.” 

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, July 7, 2024, after returning from Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Trump denied having made the comments. 

Also at the debate, Biden made the stunning omission of the 13 U.S. service members killed during the Afghanistan withdrawal, claiming, “Truth is I’m the only president this century that doesn’t have any – this decade – that didn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world, like [President Trump] did.”

The first lady framed the withdrawal more positively Monday. 

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“[Biden] made the call to end the war in Afghanistan because the sacrifice of our military families was too steep for too long,” she said. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: The Trump campaign doesn’t want to “get in the way” of Democrats “shooting at each other” over President Biden’s re-election chances, with a source telling Fox News Digital that the former president prefers to focus on campaigning and the upcoming Republican National Convention instead of on his rival’s implosion.

Other than challenging Biden to a second debate – one that he proposes occur without any moderators – former President Trump has been measured in his attacks on Biden. When asked about the strategy, a Trump campaign source said Trump is, instead, focused on his campaign and winning. 

“Democrats are in disarray,” the Trump campaign source told Fox News Digital. “Why get in the way of them shooting at each other?” 

The Trump campaign has its sights set on the GOP nominating convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which begins July 15 and runs through July 18, the source told Fox News Digital. Trump is expected to be formally nominated during the convention as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. 

EX-OBAMA ADVISER SAYS BIDEN CAN’T BEAT ‘FATHER TIME’ AND IS ‘NOT WINNING THIS RACE’

President Biden and former President Trump squared off in their high-stakes 2024 election debate rematch on Thursday. (Getty Images)

COMER REVEALS WHITE HOUSE PHYSICIAN WAS INVOLVED IN BIDEN FAMILY BUSINESS DEALS, DEMANDS HE TESTIFY

“We have the convention coming up, we have two rallies coming up, and we have the VP announcement coming up,” the source said. “We are focused on what we have to do and the big news coming from us.” 

The Trump campaign source added: “We’ll let the Democrats shoot at each other all day long.”

Biden has been reeling amid mounting pressure to step aside and suspend his 2024 campaign, including calls to quit the race from many within the Democratic Party. The concerns began to manifest after Biden’s disastrous performance at the first presidential debate against Trump last month. 

BIDEN’S ‘DISASTER’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE SPARKS MEDIA MELTDOWN, CALLS FOR HIM TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE

Top Biden campaign aides and White House officials have been engaged in damage control ever since, with the president himself sending a letter to Democrats in Congress on Monday morning. In the letter, Biden stressed his commitment to staying in the race and beating Trump in November. 

Trump is expected to sit down for his first interview since the debate on Monday with Sean Hannity on “Hannity” at 9 p.m. ET on Fox News.

Trump is set to hold a rally at his golf club in Doral, Florida, near Miami on Tuesday night. On Saturday, Trump is expected to travel to Pennsylvania for another rally at the Butler Farm Show. 

Former President Trump speaks during a rally at Greenbrier Farms on June 28, 2024, in Chesapeake, Virginia. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Biden, in his Monday letter to Democratic members of Congress, urged them to stop questioning whether he should end his re-election bid and “move forward as a unified party.” 

Biden wrote that he is “firmly committed to staying in this race” and argued that any further questioning of his candidacy “only helps Trump and hurts us.”

TRUMP APPROVAL RATING TOPS 50% AS HE LEADS BIDEN ON VOTERS’ TOP TWO ISSUES: POLL

The 81-year-old Biden is the oldest president in the nation’s history. His halting delivery and stumbling answers at the debate in Atlanta sparked widespread panic in the Democratic Party and a rising tide of public and private calls from within his own party for him to step aside. 

Trump’s approval rating has surpassed 50%, and the presumptive Republican nominee leads Biden on voters’ top two issues, the economy and immigration, according to a new poll. 

President Biden proclaimed at a Wisconsin rally that he will beat Trump “again in 2020,” then corrected himself after a long pause. (Fox News)

The poll by USA Today/Suffolk University was conducted on a sample of 1,000 registered voters between June 28 and 30, after Biden’s debate debacle sent shock waves through the Democratic Party. 

It shows 51% of respondents said they approve of Trump’s job performance as president from 2017 to 2021, compared to 41% who said they approve of Biden’s current job performance.

Regarding two of the top issues of the 2024 campaign, the economy and immigration, more registered voters said they believed Trump would do a better job than Biden. 

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The poll found 53% of registered voters trust Trump to handle immigration compared to 40% who said the same for Biden. 

Respondents also viewed Trump as more capable than Biden of handling national security, 52% to 42%, and on dealing with China, 51% to 41%. 

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

It’s a challenge to protect 535 members of Congress. 

That’s to say nothing of guarding their offices on Capitol Hill, along with their offices back in their home states or districts. And in many cases, even their homes and loved ones.

That’s why some on Capitol Hill found the vandalism to an exterior wall of the office belonging to Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., in the Cannon House Office Building so alarming last week.

BIDEN TELLS CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS THAT CALLING FOR HIM TO DROP OUT ‘ONLY HELPS TRUMP AND HURTS US’

“My Capitol office was vandalized yesterday in a vile act of hate in which the posters of the more than 100 people still held hostage in Gaza (including 8 Americans) were ripped from the wall, shredded and tossed across the hallway,” said Schneider in a post on X Friday morning, just after the July 4th holiday.

Some of the posters were strewn about the floor in front of Schneider’s office door. Other posters were crumpled or peeling from the wall, still half-attached. Several rows of other posters remained affixed to the wall, apparently out of reach of the vandal or vandals. 

Schneider is one of the most outspoken advocates for Israel in Congress. Contrary to some of his Democratic colleagues, Schneider welcomes a visit to Capitol Hill later this month by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deliver a speech to a joint meeting of Congress. 

Rep. Brad Schneider said posters of the hostages still being held in Gaza were ripped from the wall outside his office, shredded and tossed across the hallway. The Capitol Police are investigating the incident. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

This incident comes just days after anti-Israel demonstrators rallied outside Schneider’s home in Highland Park, Illinois, in the middle of the night. They banged drums and blew trumpets until police finally dispersed the crowd of about three dozen. Some chanted antisemitic slogans.

“We are aware and investigating. To protect the investigation, we cannot provide any more information at this time,” said the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) in a statement.

It is against House rules for members to post anything on the outside walls of their offices in the Capitol complex. But it is rarely enforced. This is a long-running dispute between lawmakers and House officials. It came to a head during the war in Iraq – circa 2003 – when members made a point of posting pictures of U.S. servicemen and women killed in the conflict.

No one was injured in the vandalism at Schneider’s office near the Cannon House Office Building Rotunda. No one tried to break in. But here is some important context about what happened: someone inside the Capitol complex ripped the posters of the hostages from the wall.

Here’s some sleuthing. 

DEMOCRATS FACE A RECKONING ON BIDEN CAMPAIGN AS LAWMAKERS RETURN TO CAPITOL HILL

The Cannon House Office Building is open to the public during normal business hours. But the facility was mostly closed to the public for the July 4th holiday. There’s an exception to that on July 4th. Dozens of lawmakers and aides bring hundreds of guests into the Capitol for the Independence Day concert on the West Front. They serve people drinks and sandwiches and often escort them to the Capitol itself or even the Speaker’s Balcony to watch the show and view a spectacular fireworks display on the Mall.

On another holiday besides July 4 – say Thanksgiving or New Year’s Day – the Capitol complex would practically be deserted. It would be devoid of staff, lawmakers and certainly guests. No concert or festivities.

That brings us to who else is allowed inside the Capitol complex on a holiday: anyone with a permanent hard pass is authorized to be there, 24/7. That includes lawmakers, congressional aides, journalists, Capitol Police officers, along with maintenance and custodial staff. So, there is a defined universe of people who are permitted to be anywhere in the Capitol buildings.

The Cannon House Office Building would have a usual contingent of USCP officers patrolling it on a holiday. Moreover, USCP has a number of cameras trained on a variety of halls and locales throughout the congressional facilities. It’s unclear if there is video of this incident. In addition, there would even be more USCP officers at the Capitol complex on July 4 than on another holiday. That’s because of the tens of thousands who pour onto the grounds for the concert and fireworks. However, most of the focus is on keeping order and securing the concert.

Capitol Police are investigating vandalism that occurred during the July 4th holiday inside the Capitol building. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

This brings us to the disturbing part of the equation: whoever vandalized the posters outside Schneider’s office was either someone who was brought into the building by a lawmaker or people who worked there. This wasn’t done by someone from the public just roaming the building by themselves on a random Thursday afternoon because the facility is open.

But this is just another example of the rising trend of violence and threats against lawmakers, family members, staff and congressional property over the past few years.

“Have you noticed a noticeable increase in criminal activity perpetrated against members of Congress in the last year or two?” asked Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., at a House hearing earlier this spring.

“Over the last couple of years, it’s been a concern,” replied Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger.

UFO WHISTLEBLOWER SAYS HE’S BEING THREATENED AS CONGRESSMAN WARNS PROTECTIONS ARE A ‘JOKE’

There were 8,000 threats against lawmakers last year. That’s an exponential spike, up from just 2,000 a few years ago.

“We’ve seen carjackings. We’ve seen one of our colleagues attacked in an elevator in her building,” said Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla.

Bice is referring to the carjacking of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, not far from the Capitol. A thug accosted Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., at her D.C. home.

Muggers pistol whipped an aide to Rep. Brad Finstad, R-Minn., last year after the congressional baseball game at nearby Nats Park.

“The level of threat has escalated,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger testifies during a House Administration Committee hearing on May 16, 2023. Manger said criminal activity against members of Congress has been a concern over the last couple of years. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

A man savaged two aides to Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., with a baseball bat at his northern Virginia district office in 2023. And then there was the brutal beating of Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

There have been instances of some local prosecutors refusing to take cases involving threats and violence against lawmakers.

“That falls at the hands of these prosecutors and the city councils that run these cities and run these areas,” said Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.

A U.S. attorney in Indiana failed to prosecute a man who threatened to kill Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind. 

The U.S. Capitol Police recently hired special, legal liaisons in California and Florida to assist local officials with these special prosecutions involving members of Congress.

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“We didn’t see that level of prosecution that we wanted,” said Manger. “Not everyone understands how to work a hate crime.”

Manger says he wants all threats against lawmakers investigated. Otherwise, he worries that someone who could do harm might slip through the cracks. That’s why Capitol Police continue to probe the incident at Schneider’s office on Capitol Hill.

If they find something potentially criminal, it will be up to local officials in Washington, D.C., to prosecute. It demonstrates the backlash that Schneider and others face for supporting Israel. And it underscores that people holding those views face threats amid what should be the relative sanctity and security in the halls of Congress.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said President Biden needs to prove his ability to serve a second term in the White House, joining a group of Democratic lawmakers scrutinizing the president after a lackluster debate performance last month and a sit-down interview that failed to calm concerns. 

“President Biden has got to prove to the American people – including me – that he’s up to the job for another four years,” Tester said in a statement Monday.

DEMOCRATS’ SENATE HOPES COULD HANG ON SPLIT-TICKET VOTING COMEBACK

Tester said Biden needed to prove his ability to him. (Getty Images)

“Meanwhile, I’ll continue to do what I’ve always done: Stand up to President Biden when he’s wrong and protect our Montana way of life,” he added. 

FETTERMAN EMERGES AS FIERCE BIDEN DEFENDER, COMPARING POST-STROKE DEBATE TO BIDEN BLUNDER

Republican Montana Senate candidate and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, left, and Democratic Montana Sen. Jon Tester (Tim Sheehy For Montana/ Getty Images)

Tester is up for re-election to the Senate in red state Montana, which was won twice by former President Trump. 

The statement from the Montana Democrat on Biden and his ability to serve another four years came more than a week after Biden’s poor debate showing and several days following his ABC News interview. 

AT-RISK DEMS STEER CLEAR OF BIDEN DEBATE DRAMA AHEAD OF CLOSE SENATE ELECTIONS

Biden’s debate performance was widely panned. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

Tester’s campaign previously did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital after the debate. 

In the past, the Democratic senator has sounded sure of Biden’s fitness as president, saying last year he was “absolutely 100% with it.”

UNDERDOG DEM USING DAVE CHAPPELLE SHOW TO GAIN EDGE IN PIVOTAL SWING STATE

Tester is in one of the most competitive elections in the country. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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Tester stands a significant chance of being unseated come November, with Republican entities putting substantial resources into backing Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL. Cook Political Report rates the race as a “Toss Up.”

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

A sixth House Democrat is now asking President Biden to duck out of the 2024 White House race and accusing his campaign of dismissing concerns from fellow members of his party.

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told CNN host Jake Tapper point-blank on Monday afternoon that he believes the 81-year-old president is not the best candidate to beat former President Trump in November.

“I think he should step aside. I think it’s become clear that he’s not the best person to carry the Democratic message,” Smith said.

He maintained that Biden did “a great job” so far, citing the U.S.’s economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.

DEMOCRATS’ SENATE HOPES COULD HANG ON SPLIT-TICKET VOTING COMEBACK

House Armed Services Committee ranking member Rep. Adam Smith is the latest Democrat to ask Biden to step aside (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“And then on the other side, we’ve got Donald Trump, who’s a complete disaster,” Smith said. “We’ve got a good message. The president has shown he’s not capable of delivering that message…in an effective way.”

Smith also pushed back on Biden allies’ pleas to get the topic of Biden’s fitness for office out of the news cycle.

“A lot of Democrats are saying, ‘Well, let’s move on. Let’s stop talking about it.’ We’re not the ones who are bringing it up. We’re not the ones who said ‘Anytime, anyplace,’ and only Joe Biden was on that stage with Donald Trump,” Smith said.

“Our constituents are bringing it up, the country is bringing it up.  The…campaign strategy of ‘Be quiet and fall in line and let’s ignore it’ simply isn’t working right now.”

EX-OBAMA ADVISER SAYS BIDEN CAN’T BEAT ‘FATHER TIME’ AND IS ‘NOT WINNING THIS RACE’

Concerns are mounting among Democrats after Biden’s poor debate performance (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

He’s one of several national-level Democrats urging Biden to step aside after his disastrous performance in the CNN Presidential Debate last month. Even some of Biden’s allies raised concerns after he spoke with a hoarse voice, which he said was due to a cold, and stumbled over his own answers several times during the prime-time event. Viewers also observed him appearing tired and noticeably less sharp than he looked the last time he faced Trump in 2020.

“There were concerns leading up to it,” Smith said when asked if that event alone made him doubt Biden. “And it hasn’t gotten better since the debate.”

The Washington state Democrat also emphasized he was not calling on Biden to resign from the Oval Office early. He added, however, that he could support Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.

For his own part, the president has refused to step aside multiple times since the debate. 

He also wrote to Congressional Democrats earlier on Monday making clear that he was not budging.

BIDEN’S ‘DISASTER’ DEBATE PERFORMANCE SPARKS MEDIA MELTDOWN, CALLS FOR HIM TO WITHDRAW FROM 2024 RACE

Democrats worry whether Biden can defeat former President Trump in November (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

“The question of how to move forward has been well aired for over a week now,” Biden wrote. “And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump.”

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Other Democrats calling on Biden to step aside are Reps. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., Angie Craig, D-Minn., Mike Quigley, D-Ill., and Seth Moulton, D-Mass.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.

Smith’s CNN interview comes before House Democrats are all slated to be in one room together for the first time since the debate, for their regular Tuesday morning caucus-wide meeting.

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