Joe Biden says he's willing to undergo neurological exam if doctors recommend it

Washington:

As pressure mounts from fellow Democrats to end his re-election campaign, US President Joe Biden has indicated he is willing to undergo a neurological exam to address concerns about his mental fitness for office, but only if his doctors recommend it, CNN reported.

“I am not opposed to such an examination. If my doctors tell me that I need to undergo another neurological examination, I will do it,” he said at a rare solo news conference on Thursday after the NATO summit.

He added: “Every day I’m surrounded by good doctors. If they think there’s a problem, I promise you that – or even if they don’t think it’s a problem and think I should have another neurological exam, I will. Nobody is suggesting that right now,” according to CNN.

But the president lamented growing concerns about his age: “No matter what I do, no one will be satisfied.”

Biden said he has had three brain health exams while in office, the most recent in February.

“I am tested every day on my neurological abilities, on the decisions I make every day,” he said, emphasizing that age is a source of wisdom.

Biden also told reporters Thursday that he was determined to stay in the race, but acknowledged he needed to make his case to his critics and American voters concerned about his fitness for office after a disastrous debate performance.

“I’m determined to run, but I think it’s important that I allay fears by seeing them — by letting them see me there,” Biden said.

He spoke of his busy travel schedule since the debate, citing “over 20 major events, from Wisconsin to North Carolina,” noting that he “goes to areas where we can persuade people to move in our direction or where people are already there.”

“I’m going to go around the country explaining the things we need to finish and explaining that we can’t afford to lose what we’ve accomplished,” he said, citing efforts under his administration.

After CNN’s debate with former US President Donald Trump on June 28, leaders pushed Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, although he said he was staying and expressed confidence that he would defeat former President Trump.

On July 8, a conference call was hosted by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in which several leading Democrats urged President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 campaign, expressing deep concerns about his potential impact on the Democratic Party’s chances in the upcoming election.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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