Biden says he'll drop out if doctors tell him he has a 'medical condition'
With the growing calls for President Joe Biden to step down in the wake of his debate with former President Donald Trump and a string of gaffes and humiliating situations afterward, it looks like he's opening the door for that to happen.
According to the New York Post, after defying calls for him to drop out for weeks, Biden seemed to relent to some degree, admitting in a BET interview that he would consider dropping out if doctors told him he had a medical condition.
In excerpts from the interview, which was reportedly unedited, Biden made it clear that a doctor's recommendation could be the nail that breaks the camel's back.
The admission comes in the wake of a growing number of high-profile Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) suggesting Biden back out of the race before it's too late.
What did he say?
The Biden campaign have insisted since the debate that the 81-year-old president isn't going anywhere, but that seems to have changed -- rapidly -- in recent days, and Biden saying he would get out due to medical reasons led many to believe that the process of pushing him out has started.
"If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, you got this problem and that problem," Biden said in the BET interview.
BREAKING: Joe Biden says in a new interview with BET that he would reevaluate staying in the race if he was diagnosed with a “medical condition” by doctors.
Is the coup moving into a final stage? pic.twitter.com/DXAdhoEcTR
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 17, 2024
Not surprisingly, he followed up with an awkard remark about his age.
"I said I was going to be a transitional candidate, and I thought I would be able to move on from this and pass it on to somebody else," Biden said. "But I didn’t anticipate things getting so, so, so divided. And quite frankly, I think the only thing age brings is a little bit of wisdom."
Not long after that statement, it was announced that Biden was diagnosed with COVID. Many believe it's part of a plan to ease him out on medical grounds, and others believe it was coincidence.
Social media reacts
Users across social media had plenty of theories as to what's happening, with many suggesting that Democrats are working overtime to pressure Biden into stepping down.
"Looks like it. They need Joe to quit and he’s setting up the excuse," one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote, "I’m pretty sure we can diagnose him with a medical condition… what do y’all think?"
Late-breaking reports from a Newsmax reporter suggested the Biden campaign is preparing for the elderly president to drop out of the race by the weekend. Only time will tell.