Top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries Issues Ice Cold Statement on Meeting With Biden

(AP Photo/John McDonnell)

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced on Friday that he requested and was granted a private meeting with President Joe Biden in which he expressed some of the “candid” conversations happening within the Democratic caucus.

In a letter to colleagues, Jeffries said Democrats have engaged in a “thoughtful and extensive discussion about the future of our country” in recent weeks, referring to debate about whether the president should step down amid concerns about his health and stamina. More than a dozen congressional Democrats have called for him to drop his reelection campaign.

“Our discourse has been candid, clear-eyed and comprehensive,” Jeffries said.

The Democratic leader did not get into the specifics of his conversation with Biden, but he said he expressed the “full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward” from members of the caucus.

“On behalf of the House Democratic Caucus, I requested and was graciously granted a private meeting with President Joe Biden,” Jeffries wrote. “That meeting occurred yesterday evening. In my conversation with President Biden, I directly expressed the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward that the Caucus has shared in our recent time together.”

He added, “As House Democrats have done throughout this Congres, we will continue to work in the best interests of everyday Americans. Thank you for your continued leadership in service of communities we are privileged to represent.”

The Jeffries letter follows Biden’s press conference from a NATO summit in Washington on Thursday where he again insisted he is staying in the race as he believes he’s the best chance at beating Donald Trump in November.

Jeffries dismissed earlier in the week a question from a reporter about whether Biden’s NATO talk would be a make or break moment for Democrats.