US President Joe Biden will hold a press conference on Thursday at NATO’s summit in Washington, as he hopes to dispel calls to step down in the coming election in November.
US President Joe Biden will give his first press conference on Thursday, the first since his debate disaster against Donald Trump, in a pressure-cooker moment that could seal the fate of his reelection bid.
The eyes of the world will be on the 81-year-old at a NATO summit as he tries to calm growing calls from his Democratic party to step aside over his age and health.
Any missteps by Biden at the 5.30 pm (21:30 GMT) event at a Washington, DC, conference center could turn the trickle of Democrats who have so far urged him to abandon his 2024 election bid into a flood.
The walls closed in further on Wednesday when Hollywood actor and supporter George Clooney called on Biden not to stand, just weeks after holding a glitzy fundraiser for the president.
Party heavyweight and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also subtly twisted the knife by stopping short of backing Biden, saying only that he should make a decision after the NATO summit.
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that some Democratic grandees like Pelosi are trying to appeal to his rational side rather than inflaming the stubbornness that has driven his political career.
Meanwhile, the first Democratic senator, Peter Welch of Vermont, joined at least eight House Democrats in openly urging the man who beat Trump in 2020 not to stand again.
But many Democrats are believed to be waiting to see if Biden pulls off his first solo press conference since November 2023 or whether it will be a repeat of the debate.
Biden has given fewer news conferences than his predecessors. His recent appearances have been joint appearances with foreign leaders, restricted to two questions each.
Coupled with a lack of interviews, it has led critics to accuse the White House of shielding the effects of age on America’s oldest president from the public.
‘Devastating’
A poor performance will pour fuel on the flames of the concerns about Biden’s age and health that were sparked when he appeared listless and often incoherent against Republican Trump, 78.
NATO allies have also been seeking reassurance about Biden’s leadership abilities and over fears that a return of the isolationist Trump could spell trouble for the alliance.
Biden has insisted that he is committed to running in November, and with the Democratic Party primary votes under his belt, there is no real way of forcing him out.
He blamed his debate meltdown on a bad cold and jet lag after two weeks of grueling foreign travel.
Vice President Kamala Harris is widely seen as the frontrunner to replace Biden if he steps aside, but any move would have to be before the Democratic convention in Chicago in August.
Danny Kemp, with AFP
