“Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus,” a spokesperson told ABC News.
Support for President Joe Biden among elected party leaders is crumbling, according to several prominent Democratic officials.
One person who has publicly defended Biden since his debate performance said Wednesday that Biden “will soon see the collapse of Trump’s Trump strategy.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer met with Biden on Saturday in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Shortly after the meeting, Schumer’s office released a statement saying only, “I met with President Biden this afternoon in Delaware. We had a good meeting.”
The meeting did not receive much attention because it took place shortly before the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania later that day.
Sources close to both men said Schumer had a frank discussion with Biden and argued that it would be best for him to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
When asked about this, a spokesman for Schumer declined to comment on the details of the meeting, saying only that “Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus.”
A spokesperson for the caucus later added, “Unless ABC’s source is Chuck Schumer or President Joe Biden, this report is pure speculation. Leader Schumer conveyed the caucus’ views directly to President Biden on Saturday.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke with Biden about a week ago and told the president that she and other Democrats were concerned about Biden continuing to campaign, sources confirmed to ABC News.
A source familiar with the matter told ABC News that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries had also expressed a similar view directly to Biden, suggesting he should drop out of the race.
When asked about this, a spokesperson for Jeffries told ABC News, “The letter sent by House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to his House Democratic colleagues speaks for itself. It was a private conversation and will remain private.”
In a July 12 letter, Jeffries told House Democrats, “In my conversation with President Biden, I directly conveyed the extensive insights, heartfelt views and conclusions regarding the path forward that our caucus shared in our recent meeting.”
Jeffries did not say in his letter whether he was urging Biden to drop out of the race or to remain in it.
“The president told both leaders that he is their party’s nominee, that he intends to win, and that he looks forward to working with them to enact a 100-day package to help working families,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said.
Biden continues to receive strong support from some of the most influential and powerful figures in the Democratic Party, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus and progressive leaders, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
