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

What’s happening…

-Biden phone banking in battle to save re-election bid

-AOC endorses Biden

-Trump drops major hint about VP pick

No Consensus Reached

House Democrats are still at odds with each other over how to handle President Biden’s re-election campaign after a closed-door meeting on Tuesday morning, as concerns grow over his viability as a candidate and his mental fitness for office.

Left-wing lawmakers were largely evasive when leaving the meeting at Democratic National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill, telling crowds of reporters they had “no comment” on what went on. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., avoided reporters by departing through an alternate entrance.

Others who have publicly expressed concerns about Biden’s candidacy said they did so during the meeting as well. Democrats who spoke with Fox News Digital characterized those discussions as “respectful.” …Read more

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries avoided reporters after a House Democratic meeting on President Biden (Getty Images)

White House

‘QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO GET ASKED’: Warner says questions are being raised on Biden candidacy after seeking meeting on ‘path forward’ …Read more

‘MUST DO MORE’: Patty Murray pressures Biden after discrediting report on his decline …Read more

‘MORE THAN JUST ONE MAN’: Ex-Obama official defends keeping Biden at top of ticket …Read more

‘HIGHLY DOUBTFUL’: Experts reveal VP Harris’s role in 25th Amendment and how would it work to remove Biden …Read more

DEMS COME HOME: Biden ‘working the phones’ in battle to save re-election bid …Read more

President Biden is seen speaking in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Capitol Hill

‘YOU’VE HAD MY BACK’: Biden courts Congressional Black Caucus in virtual meeting amid party turmoil …Read more

‘I SUPPORT HIM’: AOC endorses Biden’s re-election campaign: ‘The matter is closed’ …Read more

BREAKING NEWS: Longtime Sen. James Inhofe dead at 89 …Read more

‘LEGACY’ IN DOUBT: Third in line to presidency calls on Biden to ‘seriously consider’ the future …Read more

BLUE WALL OF SILENCE: House Dems calling on Biden to step aside won’t say if they’ll back him as nominee …Read more

Tales from the Campaign Trail

TRUMP DROPPING HINTS: Trump lets loose major hint on his running mate, and timing of announcement …Read more

TURNING UP THE VOLUME: Trump and his allies turn up the volume on Biden amid Democratic turmoil following disastrous debate …Read more

‘I UNDERSTAND THE EMOTION’: Harris defends anti-Israel protests amid speculation of presidential run …Read more

‘PAINFUL DECISION’: Where they stand: Dems who have called for Biden to drop out, expressed concern …Read more

Trials and Tribulations

Across America

‘EXTREME RISK’: Homeland Security has given Yemeni nationals an extension to stay in the US, raising security concerns …Read more

‘THE RECORD IS CLEAR’: Nixon Foundation fires back at Dem mayor for blaming deceased president for skyrocketing gun violence …Read more

‘CONCISE’: Party’s blueprint is readable for everyday Americans says GOP platform chair …Read more

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President Biden delivered a strong opening address to welcome foreign leaders to NATO’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington D.C. Tuesday evening — a highly-anticipated speech as members of his own party and foreign leaders expressed concerns over his fitness for the presidency and continued re-election campaign. 

Biden spoke Tuesday evening to welcome foreign leaders to the summit, touting the strength of NATO, looking ahead to the future, and seeking to show strength amid chaos within the Democratic Party over his plans to continue running for re-election. 

BIDEN ‘WORKING THE PHONES’ IN BATTLE TO SAVE RE-ELECTION BID, WITH DEMOCRATS STARTING TO RETURN TO HIS CAMP

Biden seemingly bounced back Tuesday evening, delivering a strong address without any major stumbles or setbacks. 

President Joe Biden speaks at a church service at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Philadelphia  (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“Today, NATO is more powerful than ever,” Biden said Tuesday evening. “It’s good that we’re stronger than ever because this moment in history calls for our collective strength. Autocrats want to overturn global order, which is by and large, kept for nearly 80 years and counting. Terrorist groups continue to plot evil schemes, cause mayhem and chaos and suffering in Europe. Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues and Putin wants nothing less than Ukraine’s total subjugation to end Ukraine.” 

The Russia-Ukraine war began under the Biden administration.

“Ukraine can and will stop Putin,” Biden said. “Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail.” 

Biden, during the address, announced a historic donation of air defense equipment to Ukraine. The U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Italy are coming together to provide Ukraine with equipment for five additional strategic air defense systems. 

Biden also gave NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the Presidential Medal of Freedom Tuesday night as he opened the summit in Washington D.C. 

FILE – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, speaks with United States President Joe Biden during a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council during a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 12, 2023. U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts are meeting in Washington this week to mark the 75th anniversary of the world’s biggest security organization just as Russia presses its advantage on the battlefield in Ukraine.  (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)

“So much of the progress we made in the Alliance is thanks to the secretary,” Biden said, adding that Stoltenberg has guided NATO through “one of the most consequential periods in its history.” 

BIDEN NOTES ‘WORLD’S LOOKING TO AMERICA’ AS HE FACES SCRUTINY BEFORE HOSTING NATO SUMMIT

“The whole world will reap the rewards of your labor for years to come in the form of security, opportunity and greater freedom,” Biden said. “For these reasons, I am pleased to award you the highest civilian honor the United States can bestow—a Presidential Medal of Freedom.” 

The three-day summit, which began Tuesday, will focus on ways to reassure Ukraine of NATO’s enduring support and offer some hope to its war-weary citizens that their country might survive the biggest land conflict in Europe in decades. NATO’s day-to-day work is led by Stoltenberg, the former prime minister of Norway, until he is replaced as secretary-general on Oct. 1 by outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

A reporter works in the media center at the NATO Summit on July 9, 2024, in Washington, DC. NATO holds its annual summit in Washington this week to mark the 75th anniversary of its founding.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Biden’s address Tuesday night came at a consequential time for the future of his presidency and a potential second term. 

Biden and the White House have maintained that he will continue running his 2024 re-election campaign. 

Sources told Fox News Digital that Biden has been personally working the phones to call Democratic colleagues, supporters and donors to quell concerns — and the strategy appears to be working. 

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., came out in support of the president, along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. 

Rank-and-file Democrats in the House also rallied behind the president, as well as a number of top Democratic senators. 

Biden also saw support from the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Monday night. 

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.”

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“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.”

The White House was pressed Tuesday about whom the Pentagon would contact if a nuclear missile were fired toward the U.S. after 8 p.m., which is when President Biden has said he needs to call it a day.

Last week, Biden told Democratic governors during a private meeting at the White House that he would stop scheduling events after 8 p.m. so he can get more sleep, according to a report by The New York Times.

At a press briefing Tuesday, Fox News’ Peter Doocy pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about the president’s mental health and being at his sharpest before 8 p.m.

“Well, he also says he’s sharpest before 8 p.m. So, say that the Pentagon at some point picks up an incoming nuke. It’s 11 p.m. Who do you call? The first lady?” Doocy asked.

ANONYMOUS DEMOCRATIC SENATOR SAYS EVERYONE’S KNOWN FOR YEARS BIDEN HAS MENTAL LAPSES

Fox News’ Peter Doocy pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about whom the Pentagon would notify if a nuke were fired toward the U.S. after 8 p.m., when President Biden reportedly said he needs to stop working. (Fox News)

Jean-Pierre told Doocy the president has a team to let him know of any news that is “pertinent and important” to the American people.

She also said Biden has someone he appointed to get the news from the National Security Council should that scenario ever happen.

Who that person is, Jean-Pierre did not say.

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy said when he was speaker there were many times he attended meetings in the Oval Office and the first lady was there.

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

President Biden smiles alongside Vice President Kamala Harris. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Doocy asked Jean-Pierre if Jill Biden was making decisions or advising the president while attending the meetings.

“No, the president is the president of the United States. He makes decisions,” Jean-Pierre said.

The questioning came after Doocy asked Jean-Pierre if the president was committed to serving a full second term if elected. The press secretary answered, “Yes.”

The correspondent then told Jean-Pierre the president said his health is fine, but “it’s just his brain and that he’s as sharp as before.”

BIDEN ‘SHARP AND FOCUSED’ BUT ALSO ‘CONFUSED AND FORGETFUL’, AP REPORTS IN RIDICULED HEADLINE

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told Fox News’ Peter Doocy the president would still make the decision if a nuclear weapon was fired toward the U.S. after 8 p.m. despite President Biden reportedly saying he wants to be done with events at 8 p.m. so he can get more sleep.  (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

The press secretary quickly jumped in to tell Doocy that Biden was “joking,” to set the record straight.

“What’s the joke?” Doocy asked, before being told by Jean-Pierre that Biden was making a “lighthearted joke.”

“That he has a problem with his brain?” Doocy asked.

BIDEN DEBATE DEBACLE: 10 EYE-OPENING MEDIA RESPONSES, FROM MSNBC PANIC TO ‘THE VIEW’ CALLING FOR REPLACEMENT

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

“He was speaking off the cuff and making a joke,” Jean-Pierre said. “You know the president. He likes to joke a lot. He’s the same guy who says, ‘I know I look 40,’ right? So, he likes to make jokes.”

Doocy questioned how that was a joke and was told people laugh when Biden says it.

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Biden’s poor performance during the late June presidential debate against former President Trump reinforced concerns about Biden’s age and fitness for office, which have been growing for months.

Biden is facing growing pressure to drop out of the 2024 race.

Three former advisers to President Obama took aim at President Biden Tuesday as longstanding rumors of tension between the two men’s camps continue to linger.

Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor, who were often referred to as the “Obama bros” during their tenure in the White House, dedicated the majority of their latest “Pod Save America” episode to ganging up on Biden following his poor performance in the first presidential debate, and in a subsequent interview.

“I thought it was bad, and, at times, very hard to watch,” Vietor said, referencing Biden’s sit-down interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos last week that came as part of an effort by the president to quell critics calling for him to exit the presidential race.

BIDEN ‘WORKING THE PHONES’ IN BATTLE TO SAVE RE-ELECTION BID, WITH DEMOCRATS STARTING TO RETURN TO HIS CAMP

Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor at Politicon at Pasadena Convention Center on July 29, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (John Sciulli/Getty Images for Politicon)

“In fairness to Biden, I don’t think that interview could have solved the political problem that stemmed from the debate,” he said, adding the interview made him “more concerned” because Biden “struggled to speak in a clear, coherent way.”

Vietor argued Biden didn’t articulate a compelling second-term agenda that would sway swing voters to support him over former President Trump, and that his explanations for his recent poor performance, such as travel and sickness, didn’t fully answer for “how bad the debate was.”

Lovett agreed and said the interview “was a hard setting for him to succeed, even at his absolute best, because it’s hard to justify why it was more than a week after the debate, that it was so brief, and he was only doing one.”

“The debate was just a bad night. We all saw it,” he said. “The explanations are kind of vague… That doesn’t do enough to assuage our concerns about what we saw that night. Right? So, the explanations don’t offer anything.”

BIDEN’S FORMER PRESS SECRETARY JEN PSAKI ADMITS ABC INTERVIEW WAS ‘JUST OKAY’

Former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden. (Getty Images)

“If you’re going to raise the stakes on one interview, it can’t be another example of you being hard to understand, not because he’s soft, not because he’s mumbling, but because his train of thought doesn’t make sense,” he said. “The stakes are incredibly high. Trump is an incredible threat, but either he will prosecute that case, or someone else will, and right now, we get neither.”

Favreau said that although Biden’s interview was “more coherent than the debate,” he was “worried” Biden’s lack of urgency and message meant he might not be able to make up for the debate going forward. He cited recent polling showing Biden trailing Trump in every key swing state.

“What are you going to do to win over voters who are undecided between Biden and Trump when you have that message with George Stephanopoulos?” he asked.

Vietor later said it “seems like a clear-cut choice that we’d have a better chance with someone else,” while Lovett argued Biden wasn’t “delivering the message effectively.”

HALEY URGES HER CONVENTION DELEGATES TO SUPPORT TRUMP: ‘REPUBLICAN UNITY’

President Joe Biden speaks at a church service at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Philadelphia  (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“That George Stephanopoulos interview was painful to watch,” Lovett said. “It was a terrible interview. He did a terrible job articulating why he’s in the race, what happened at the debate, and why he’s the person to beat Trump. He’s doing a terrible job.”

The comments come just a day after former Obama adviser David Axelrod said during an appearance on CNN that Biden was “certain” to lose the race to Trump.

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“There are certain immutable facts of life,” Axelrod said while discussing Biden’s age and leadership. “Those were painfully obvious on that debate stage. The president just… hasn’t come to grips with it. He’s not winning this race.”

Relationships between former and current advisers from the Biden and Obama administrations have reportedly been strained in recent years given the level of criticism aimed at the current president, as well as that he was passed over for the Democratic presidential nomination in favor of Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Obama has, however, spent time defending Biden following his debate performance.

Fox News’ Brian Flood and Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Most Democrats are still remaining mum on whether President Biden is fit to serve out the rest of his term amid growing concerns over his mental competency.

Various lawmakers on Capitol Hill refused to respond when asked by Fox News Digital whether Biden should remain in office, while others expressed confidence in his abilities now and in the future.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and representatives Mark Takano, D-Calif.; Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; Maxwell Frost, D-Fla.; Lou Correa, D-Calif.; Rob Menendez, D-N.J.; Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo.; Jim Himes, D-Conn.; and Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., did not respond to Fox News Digital when asked whether Biden is fit to serve the remainder of his first term.

But Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., one of the first Democratic representatives to publicly call on Biden to withdraw his candidacy as the nominee, said he was not concerned about the president’s ability to serve the remaining five months in office.

JON STEWART CALLS OUT DEMOCRATS’ ‘BULLS—’ EXCUSES FOR BIDEN’S ‘SHOCKING DISPLAY OF COGNITIVE DIFFICULTY’

Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York told Fox News Digital he is “staying with” Biden in his re-election bid. (Fox News Digital)

It comes as Democrats continue to raise doubts, mostly in private, whether Biden is the best-suited candidate to beat former President Trump in November after his disastrous debate performance against the presumptive Republican nominee late last month. 

“I’m wearing my aviators today, right? I’m staying with papa,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital outside the Democratic National Committee before House Democrats held their first meeting since calls to replace the president as the nominee overwhelmed the conversation on Capitol Hill.

“Absolutely,” said Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., when asked if Biden is fit to serve. “He’s been one of the most effective presidents ever.”

THIRD IN LINE TO PRESIDENCY CALLS ON BIDEN TO ‘SERIOUSLY CONSIDER’ THE FUTURE

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said he does not have any concerns about Biden’s fitness, while Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., said Biden is “certainly” fit to serve the rest of his term.

“Yes, of course,” Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, said.

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., told Fox News Digital Biden is “certainly” fit to serve the rest of his term. (Fox News Digital)

Sinema walked away when asked the same question. 

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital Biden is “absolutely” fit to be president right now.

“I believe the president has already made a decision about what he’s doing. He’s the president,” Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., said.

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., spoke about concerns over Biden’s fitness. (Fox News Digital)

“A lot of folks are raising questions that need to be asked, but, at the end of the day, we need to beat Donald Trump,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.

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“I have not heard a single Democratic senator say that President Biden is anything other than our nominee, and he’s going to win,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said. “There may be some concerns, but he is addressing it.”

Biden, for his part, has insisted on multiple occasions he is staying in the race and is the best positioned person to beat Trump.

Three GOP-led states are asking the Supreme Court for emergency intervention to temporarily block the implementation of President Biden’s latest effort to provide a student loan handout to millions of borrowers.

The time-sensitive appeal was sent to Justice Neil Gorsuch, who could make the decision himself or ask his colleagues to weigh in.

Most likely, the court will ask the government to file a response brief, and an order from the court could be issued in the days or weeks that follow.

On Sunday, a federal appeals court in Denver issued a temporary stay to a lower court ruling against the Biden administration on the matter.

AFTER URGING RESPECT FOR JUSTICE SYSTEM, BIDEN CLAIMS SCOTUS’ TRUMP CASE RULING IS ‘ATTACK’ ON ‘RULE OF LAW’

Alaska, Texas and South Carolina are asking the Supreme Court for emergency intervention to temporarily block implementation of the Biden administration’s latest effort at a student loan handout. (Fox News)

The states filing the emergency application — Alaska, Texas and South Carolina — are now asking the high court to lift the stay.

The Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan announced by the administration last year would help millions of borrowers enrolled in a federal student loan program to lower their monthly debt payments and provide a path to debt forgiveness.

The lower payments were expected to kick in July 1 for an estimated 8 million borrowers enrolled in the SAVE program.

BIDEN URGES RESPECT FOR LEGAL SYSTEM AFTER TRUMP CONVICTION WHILE PUBLICLY FLOUTING SCOTUS RULINGS

President Biden speaks about student loan debt at Madison College April 8, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

In the application to Gorsuch, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor said because of the administration’s “intransigence,” the court must “unfortunately step in again.”

“Time is of the essence. Not only do the States and the public at large need to know as soon as possible whether the SAVE Plan is lawful, but the Biden Administration is not done,” the attorneys general wrote. “On April 17, 2024, the Department announced yet another rule to spend hundreds of billions of dollars waiving student debt. 89 Fed. Reg. 27654. 

“That Proposed Rule is expected to be final well before this litigation concludes absent intervention from this Court. Legal certainty from this Court is essential whenever hundreds of billions of dollars are at stake, but it is particularly critical where, as here, commentators across the political spectrum have observed that federal government is flouting this Court’s decision in Nebraska.

“The Court should thus grant review and summarily reject the SAVE Plan or set the case for briefing and argument to ensure that federal law retains its integrity and to prevent the Department from unilaterally giving away hundreds of billions of dollars.”

BIDEN SLAMS SCOTUS PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY RULING, IGNORES QUESTIONS ABOUT DROPPING OUT

Student loan borrowers stage a rally in front of the White House to celebrate President Biden canceling student debt. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

Earlier this year, Biden announced the SAVE plan that cancels debt for enrolled borrowers who have been in repayment for at least 10 years and have $12,000 or less in student loan debt. Those with larger debts will receive relief after an additional year of payments for every additional $1,000 they borrowed.

In June 2023, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that federal law does not allow Biden’s Secretary of Education to cancel more than $430 billion in student loan debt.

Biden promised at the time that his administration would continue to push for his student debt relief plan.

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Shortly after the court’s ruling, Biden said, “I think the court misinterpreted the Constitution.”

A new public opinion poll in the crucial Midwestern swing state of Wisconsin that was conducted entirely after the June 27 debate between President Biden and former President Trump indicates the Republican challenger with a five point advantage over the Democratic incumbent in the White House.

And the survey, released on Tuesday by AARP, indicates Biden’s support in Wisconsin, running behind Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who leads GOP challenger Eric Hovde in their crucial Senate race.

According to the poll, which was conducted by Republican pollsters Fabrizio Ward and Democratic pollsters Impact Research on behalf of AARP, Trump tops Biden 50%-45% among likely voters in Wisconsin.

When third party and independent presidential candidates are included, Trump leads Biden 44%-38%, with Democrat turned independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at 9% and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 3%.

TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES TURN UP THE VOLUME ON BIDEN 

President Biden speaks at a campaign rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on July 5, 2024. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The AARP survey indicates Trump ahead of Biden in a head-to-head matchup by seven points among voters 50 and older. Among voters under 50, the two candidates are within the margin of error, while Baldwin leads Hovde by 14 points among the same pool of voters.

The poll was conducted June 28-July 2, after the debate but before last Friday’s rally by the president in Madison, Wisconsin.

HALEY URGES HER GOP CONVENTION DELEGATES TO SUPPORT TRUMP

The new poll’s release comes a couple of days after a Bloomberg/Morning Consult survey in Wisconsin suggested Biden held a lower-single digit edge over Trump.

Wisconsin, along with Michigan and Pennsylvania, made up the so-called blue wall of states that helped carry the Democrats in presidential elections for three decades until Trump narrowly carried all three of the states in his 2016 presidential election victory.

Republican presumptive presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump walks to the podium at a campaign event Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in Racine, Wisconsin. (Jeffrey Phelps/Associated Press)

But Biden won all three states by razor-thin margins in 2020, as he defeated Trump to win the White House.

The release of the poll comes less than a week before the start of the Republican National Convention, which will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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The new survey is the latest with warning signs for Biden. A handful of national polls conducted entirely after the debate and released last week contained plenty of red flags for the president — including Trump widening his single-digit edge over Biden and deepening concerns of Americans about whether Biden was up to the task of running the country.

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

Following his extremely rough debate performance a week and a half ago in his first face-to-face showdown Trump, Biden has been attempting to prove that he still has the stamina and acuity to handle the toughest and most demanding job in the world. And he’s trying to prove that he has the fortitude to defeat Trump.

The debate was a major setback for Biden, who at 81 is the oldest president in the nation’s history. His halting delivery and stumbling answers at the showdown 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 as its 2024 standard-bearer.

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

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.”

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

President Biden met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on Monday night in a virtual call meant to strengthen his support base. He reportedly thanked them for their reliable support and promised a mutual sense of loyalty. 

“You’ve had my back, and I’ll continue to have yours,” Biden told the CBC members on the call, two sources told the Washington Post.

The Post reported that multiple sources claimed a formal statement of support for Biden was expected to be released by the CBC.

NEW YORK TIMES DOUBLES DOWN ON TELLING BIDEN TO DROP OUT: ‘HE IS EMBARRASSING HIMSELF’

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

An endorsement from the caucus would be a crucial victory in Biden’s battle against factions of his own party seeking to force him out of his campaign for re-election.

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.

AOC ENDORSES BIDEN RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION: ‘THE MATTER IS CLOSED’ AND ‘I SUPPORT HIM’

President Biden, left, listens to Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, center, speak during a campaign event at the South Side restaurant in Philadelphia. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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.

Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida praised Biden for the Monday meeting and explicitly supported his decision to stay in the race immediately afterward.

“President Biden’s call with the Congressional Black Caucus tonight showed his unwavering dedication to our nation’s future and that he is in this fight,” Wilson said following the meeting.

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President Biden speaks at a campaign rally in Madison, Wisconsin. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

“He’s committed to fighting for the soul of our nation and Black economic progress, and I stand with him for another four years because he’s consistently stood with my community.”

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

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.