President Biden's Press Conference: High Stakes as First Presser Since Disastrous Debate

President Biden's upcoming press conference is highly anticipated as lawmakers and the media weigh in on what to expect. Concerns about his health and age have prompted reports of a plan to convince him to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. The White House and Biden's campaign have denied the reports.

President Biden is set to hold a highly-anticipated press conference on Thursday evening after hosting NATO leaders in Washington, D.C. The press conference marks Biden's first solo press conference of the year and his first time speaking to the media at a presser since his disastrous debate against former President Donald Trump on June 27.

The press conference comes amid escalating concerns over Biden's health and mental fitness, with some Democrats calling on him to quit the presidential race. Biden has vowed to remain in the race, while his campaign and the White House have ramped up his number of public events in an apparent effort to quell these concerns.

President Biden's Press Conference: High Stakes as First Presser Since Disastrous Debate

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have expressed high expectations for the press conference. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., described it as an "ultimate test," while Democrats have said that Biden needs to demonstrate his mental acuity and ability to handle the rigors of the presidency.

The media has dubbed the press conference a "big boy press conference," with Biden fielding questions from the media solo. Since Biden's disastrous debate performance, Democrats and the media have repeatedly said that if Biden remains in the race, he needs to hold more interviews and press conferences.

President Biden's Press Conference: High Stakes as First Presser Since Disastrous Debate

Biden did sit down for an interview with ABC's George Stephanopolos that aired on July 5, but the interview did little to quell mounting concerns over the president's mental acuity and age. Biden repeatedly dodged whether he would take a cognitive test, raising further questions about his fitness for office.

Biden delivered a strong NATO speech on Tuesday, but praise from fellow Democrats was few and far between. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in an interview the following day that Democrats are keeping their thoughts on Biden quiet "until we see how we go this week."

President Biden's Press Conference: High Stakes as First Presser Since Disastrous Debate

The New York Times reported on Thursday that a handful of Biden's longtime aides believe he needs to bow out of the 2024 race and are working on a plan to convince him to drop out. The White House and Biden's campaign have "unequivocally" denied these reports.

The New York Times report follows other media outlets claiming that Biden insiders are saying they don't see a path forward for Biden following his botched debate performance. NBC News reported on Thursday that several of Biden's closest allies now see his chances of winning as zero.

President Biden's Press Conference: High Stakes as First Presser Since Disastrous Debate

The New York Times also reported that Biden's campaign is testing the viability of Vice President Kamala Harris running in place of Biden. Concerns surrounding Biden's health and mental fitness are at a fever pitch this summer, with some Democrats calling on him to quit the presidential race following his disastrous debate against Trump last month.

Biden has bucked calls to drop out, vowing to remain in the race as his campaign and the White House ramp up his number of public events in an apparent effort to quell concerns that the president isn't up for another four-year term in the Oval Office.

President Biden's Press Conference: High Stakes as First Presser Since Disastrous Debate

The press conference is likely to be closely scrutinized by both Democrats and Republicans, as well as the media. It will serve as an opportunity for Biden to address concerns about his health and mental fitness, as well as to respond to criticism of his handling of the economy, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and other issues.