A group of donors who had planned to raise US$90 million (around R$490 million) for Joe Biden’s campaign decided to suspend the initiative after two new gaffes made by the president during the NATO summit and a press conference, this Thursday (11).
According to information from New York Timesthe decision comes as a protest against the Democrat’s insistence on continuing with his candidacy, despite strong calls even within the party for him to give up running.
In conversation with the American newspaper, anonymous sources said that the group took the initiative to withhold the money that would be transferred to the largest pro-Biden financing group, Future Forward – the group that would receive the amount did not respond to requests for a response.
More Democrats agree to president’s resignation
Biden met with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the White House on Thursday night (11), amid growing discontent within the party against the president, local media reported on Friday (12).
The meeting followed Biden’s news conference at the end of the NATO summit in Washington to address domestic criticism over his disastrous performance in last month’s election debate with Republican rival, former President Donald Trump.
Jeffries conveyed to Biden “the full range of candid perspectives and conclusions about the path forward” that Democrats have been discussing in recent days, the congressman said in a message sent to colleagues.
At least 18 House Democrats have publicly called on Biden to drop his candidacy for the Nov. 5 election because they believe he has no chance of defeating Trump.
Four members of Congress have taken that stance since Biden’s Thursday night news conference at the NATO summit, in which he tried to prove he is still fit for office.
The latest was Colorado Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, who in a social media message Friday expressed her appreciation for Biden’s political career but urged him to “pass the baton” so another candidate can take on Trump.
Biden assured at the press conference that there is no poll that shows he cannot beat the Republican, although his participation in the summit was overshadowed by two lapses: he confused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and called his vice president, Kamala Harris, Trump.