President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to the White House, forcing him to cancel a campaign event in Las Vegas.
“Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms.”
In the statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, she added that Biden “will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.” She explained that they will continue to post updates in the meantime.
President Joe Biden arrives in Delaware after testing positive for Covid pic.twitter.com/k3nLXgX5nv
— RT (@RT_com) July 18, 2024
Although they state the 81-year-old will carry out “full duties of the office,” Biden’s inability to resume his campaign raises questions over his candidacy in the November election, especially after former President Donald J. Trump’s nominating convention on Thursday. The pause, also sparked by the alleged assassination attempt on rival Donald Trump, created the need for Biden to hit the campaign trail at full force, making this sudden stop potentially debilitating for gaining more support.
Biden also made headlines after speaking with Ed Gordon in a pre-taped interview with BET News, saying that he’d reevaluate staying in the 2024 presidential race if a doctor diagnosed him with a “medical condition.”
However, the president’s doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, said the president’s symptoms “remain mild” so far and he first “presented[…] with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general malaise[sic].” After the positive COVID-19 test, Biden was prescribed the antiviral drug Paxlovid and has taken his first dose.
President Biden tested positive for Covid on Wednesday, according to the White House. When reporters asked how he was feeling as he arrived at Air Force One to travel from Las Vegas to Delaware, Biden replied: “Good. I feel good.” https://t.co/HUZ05slNoz pic.twitter.com/aV7ZFC5qZo
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 18, 2024
The illness was diagnosed amid increasing pressure from Democrats for Biden to step aside. More of Biden’s allies and supporters have called on him to drop out of the race, citing concerns about his ability to defeat Trump.
The top two Democrats in the U.S. Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are both reported to have met with him individually to express concerns over his bid for the White House.
Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker, has also privately told him that he cannot beat Donald Trump in November’s election, according to CNN.