In a long political career spanning more than five decades since his first election and over half a century since arriving in the Senate, Joe Biden faced a moment unlike any other this Thursday. A moment that should have unfolded as routine as a press briefing, yet within the presidency it has become a genuine trial by fire for the Democrat and for his bid for re-election.
That 6:30 p.m. press appearance in Washington (12:30 a.m. in Europe) could mark the defining reply to the shockwave that began two weeks earlier. In his debate with Republican challenger Donald Trump, Biden faced 51 million viewers and delivered a performance that many saw as a showcase of his age. Anxiety spread among Democrats and concerns about his capacity and his health, at 81, were already circulating among voters who had observed tolls over time.
Later, after the NATO summit concludes, Biden is expected to face a roomful of reporters who have, as repeatedly demonstrated by the White House spokesperson, balanced the usual briefings with a growing sense of frustration about what many perceive as a lack of transparency regarding Biden’s health and condition.
History repeats itself in these moments: the last time Biden held a similar solo press conference was last November, after a meeting with Xi Jinping, and it lasted about 20 minutes, ending with Biden calling Xi a dictator in a final question. Since then, solo sessions have been rare and often limited to a handful of questions or tied to a formal declaration. February brought a different pressure, when a devastating report from a special counsel raised questions about memory and mental sharpness. Though Biden pushed back forcefully, he also stumbled in misnaming the president of Egypt, saying he hailed from Mexico.
Overall, according to the University of California, Santa Barbara’s presidency project, Biden has conducted only 14 solo press conferences since taking office, with just four since the 2022 midterms.
The crisis deepens
The press briefing comes on the same day a New York criminal verdict against Trump was originally set to be announced, though a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity postponed that decision until September. The past two weeks have been explosive for Biden, who has tried to steady the ship by advancing his agenda and staging official events, along with a televised interview. On Monday, he plans another NBC-recorded interview during a campaign swing through Texas. But first he must survive the press-room test and a potential decisive weekend. The crisis has intensified over the last 24 hours, and his political standing has deteriorated rapidly.
Throughout these two weeks, Biden has stood firm with the support of his wife, Jill Biden, his son Hunter, and his closest advisers. He has appeared defiant when pressed to reconsider or step aside to avoid a November defeat that could ripple through political races and hand control of Congress to Republicans.
Biden has insisted that what happened in the CNN Atlanta studio was merely a bad night, an episode, not evidence of a medical issue. He has downplayed the fears sparked since then and the polls that show his popularity at a low ebb and a chorus urging him to step aside.
He speaks as if he is the only one capable of beating Trump, presenting a message built around a stark choice of “me or chaos.” This personal approach, forged through a long career aligned with the Democratic establishment, has been portrayed as an effort to cast the current events as a bid to remove him from the nation’s political elites.
While early this week it appeared the crisis could be cooled by endorsements from key groups in Congress, including those representing Black and Latino communities, the wall of support is visibly weakening. The dissent is real and growing, with more vocal voices challenging his staying in the race. Eleven Democratic lawmakers have publicly urged him to withdraw, and a landmark move came from Senator Peter Welch, the first to call for departure, with others in the Senate contemplating similar steps in private. Even influential voices like Nancy Pelosi have expressed a measurable ambiguity in their public statements.
Donors have joined the chorus of concern. Some have halted donations until a successor is chosen, while others are redirecting funds to campaigns in Congress. NBC cited four campaign sources describing the impact as dramatic and unprecedented—a veritable political disaster in the making.
Yet there are bright spots for Biden, too. The unexpected involvement of Hollywood money, such as a provocative article by George Clooney, has been a lift, though Clooney reportedly shared the piece with Barack Obama, who had appeared alongside Biden in recent actions. Politico indicates Obama did not counsel Clooney but did not object to the publication. These moments add layers to a new political narrative about who is backing Biden and how much influence they wield.
As this week unfolds, the public and party leaders watch closely to see whether Biden can reframe the crisis and restore confidence, or whether November’s outcome will tilt further away from his favor. The coming days will reveal whether the president’s defense of his record and his capability can quiet the ongoing questions and stabilize a situation that continues to roil the political landscape.