According to reports, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a private conversation with President Biden, said that polls show that President Biden cannot defeat President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
Pelosi also told Biden, 81, that continuing to campaign for reelection could hurt Democrats' chances of winning the House of Representatives in November, four sources told CNN.
In a private conversation, the California congresswoman reportedly pointed to several polls showing Trump would beat the incumbent president.
Biden fired back, reportedly telling Pelosi that every poll he'd seen showed he would be successful in reelection.
According to CNN, one source on the call described Biden as “defensive.”
During the call, Pelosi brought longtime Biden adviser Mike Donilon onto the call to discuss the disappointing data.
It is not clear whether Pelosi told Biden he should withdraw from the presidential race, but the call came just a week after she and former President Barack Obama privately expressed concerns about the aging president's campaign.
Pelosi became the fourth major Democratic leader to express concern about Biden's growing chances of winning after his disastrous debate defeat against President Trump.
On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Biden to step down.
“Schumer made the case forcefully that it would be good for Biden, good for the Democratic Party and good for the country if he stepped down,” ABC News' Jonathan Karl said on Wednesday's broadcast..
Disappointing numbers, including polls showing the incumbent ranking last among party members, have been a major focus of Schumer's case.
Neither Pelosi nor Schumer have publicly called on Biden to stop campaigning, but 21 other Democrats have.
Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) are among the party's senior opponents of Biden, and both have publicly said it's time to “pass the baton.”
Despite Biden's reported defensiveness, insiders say the private spat between Pelosi and Schumer is leaning the president more “receptive” to the idea of resigning.
It is unclear whether Biden would choose Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor if he were to suspend his campaign, but “informal conversations” between the White House and Congress have indicated that Biden is more “open” to a potential replacement.
“He went from saying, 'Kamala can't win,' to, 'Do you think Kamala can win?'” a senior Democratic adviser told CNN.
Biden is reportedly deeply conflicted about the decision.
One person close to the president told The New York Times that it would be wrong to say the president is open to the idea of withdrawal but that he is “open to listening,” but stressed that there are no current indications that Biden will change course.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Washington Post's request for comment, but told CNN that “President Biden is the party's nominee.”
“President Trump is committed to winning and looks forward to working with Democrats in Congress to pass a 100-day package to help working families,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said.
The Democratic National Committee confirmed Wednesday morning that it would postpone plans to effectively nominate Biden for a second term after Schumer privately asked party leaders for more time to deliberate.
