(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden hosted a solo news conference Thursday following a week of speculation about his fitness to serve.
The event closed out a NATO summit in Washington, where the president hosted foreign leaders.
Biden not in race for his ‘legacy’
Biden told reporters his decision to remain in the 2024 presidential race has nothing to do with his “legacy.”
“I’m in this to complete the job I started,” Biden told a reporter who asked him how he’d feel about his legacy if former President Donald Trump is reelected.
Faith in Biden’s abilities has faltered among some fellow Democrats since his debate against Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee.
The president said it’s his nature to go all out all the time, but he recognizes that he should dial back his work schedule.
“I’ve always had an inclination, whether it’s playing sports or doing politics, just to keep going, not stop,” Biden said. “I just gotta pace myself a little more.”
He also acknowledged that it may not matter how many exams he takes when it comes to easing public fears about his health. “No matter what I did, no one’s gonna be satisfied. (But) I am not opposed, if my doctors tell me, that I should have another neurological exam, I’ll do it.”
When asked if he would reconsider staying in the race if data came back showing Vice President Kamala Harris would fare better against Donald Trump, President Biden said, “No, unless they came back and said there’s no way you can win. … No poll says that.”
Biden also told DNC delegates they’re “free to do whatever they want” when it comes to choosing another candidate.
“If they say they want somebody else, that’s the democratic process,” Biden said, followed by a whisper of “That’s not going to happen.”
Biden ready to deal with Putin, Xi ‘now, 3 years from now’
Biden reiterated that the United States remains committed to checking Russian and Chinese aggression worldwide.
Biden was asked by a reporter if he has a strategy to “disrupt the partnership” between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Yes I do,” Biden said, “but I’m not prepared to talk about the detail of it in public.”
Biden: NATO stands stronger than it has ever been
Biden began his news conference speaking about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the ongoing invasion in Ukraine.
He reiterated the importance of the alliance, especially in the wake of Russia’s conquest in Ukraine, saying, “NATO stands stronger than it has ever been.”
“During the week, this summit, several head of states made it a point in their statements to thank the United States and to thank me personally for all that NATO has achieved,” Biden added.
He then lashed out at Trump, saying, “my predecessor has made it clear he has no commitment to NATO.”
Biden: Israel has been ‘less than cooperative’
When discussing negotiations for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Biden said Israel has been “less than cooperative” about getting aid into Gaza.
Biden pointed to his first visit to Israel after the October 7 attack and said “There’s a lot of things that, in retrospect, I wish I had been able to convince Israelis to do.”
The event marked Biden’s first solo news conference since November. The 2023 address came after several hours of meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping about narcotics, military-to-military communication and artificial intelligence.
It’s unclear what Biden’s preparation for the news conference looked like, but aides generally prepare him for a range of possibilities based on the headlines of the day, The Associated Press reported. Apart from his fitness for office, Biden has also been in the headlines for the three-day NATO summit that convened Tuesday. Topics centered around global security issues such as continued support for Ukraine and efforts to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza.
Some NATO members share the concern about a potential second Trump presidency. Others are confident members could adjust their approach and get by for another term.
Trump, who once declared NATO “obsolete,” railed against member states’ contributions to the alliance when he was in the White House. More recently, Trump said he’d let Russia do “whatever” it wants to member states he takes issue with.
Some Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, remain vocal Biden supporters despite other party members’ misgivings about his capacity to handle a second term. Others continue to echo broader public concerns about the president seemingly fumbling his words and losing his train of thought on the debate stage and have since called for his resignation from the race.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reiterated his support for Biden on Thursday but acknowledged the conversations among his members weren’t over.
Biden has argued his performance represented a singularly bad night and wasn’t indicative of his mental acuity.
The Hill contributed to this report.
