Trump teases VP pick in Florida speech as Biden seeks to drum up support: Highlights

Biden was seen by Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist, at the White House on Jan. 17 as part of his physical ahead of his visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in February, and the results from the exam were reported as part of his annual physical on Feb. 28, according to the White House.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the timeline tonight after having inaccurately said at today’s news briefing that the Jan. 17 meeting was not related to Biden in response to a question from The Associated Press.

"Because the date was not mentioned in the question, I want to be clear that the January 17th meeting between Dr. O’Connor and Dr. Cannard was for the President’s physical," Jean-Pierre said in a statement first reported by The Associated Press. "It was one of the three times the President has seen Dr. Cannard, each time for his physical. The findings from each exam have been released to the public." Dr. Kevin O’Connor is Biden’s physician.

Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said during an interview on CNN that he doesn't believe Biden can win a second term, warning that it could be a "landslide" victory for Trump.

“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide,” said Bennet, who unsuccessfully ran against Biden in 2020.

He added that if Biden loses, it could also cost Democrats more seats in the House and their slim majority in the Senate.

Biden sought in a speech today to rebut a critique of the NATO military alliance that Trump has made in arguing that the U.S. should abandon its obligations to allies in the pact.

In the address to kick off the NATO summit meeting as it began in Washington, Biden made a point of noting that on his watch, the number of NATO member countries that are spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense has jumped from nine to 23. Trump frequently argued that by pressuring allies to spend more on defense, he was protecting American taxpayers from shouldering too much of the load.

Biden didn’t mention Trump by name, but his message was unmistakable: For all Trump’s bluster about NATO countries that don’t meet their financial burden, more have met the budgetary target since he left.

Read the full story here.

Biden’s poor debate performance has not only thrown Trump’s long-anticipated announcement of a vice presidential running mate into a holding pattern.

The fallout, which has included a relentlessly bad news cycle for Biden, has also provided Trump an opportunity to gut-check perhaps the biggest decision of his bid to return to the White House.

Trump acknowledged as much last night. Two weeks after telling reporters that he had made up his mind, the former president told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that he was still evaluating his options. Trump indicated that the debate — and uncertainty about whether Biden will be the Democratic nominee — had emerged as a last-minute factor in his deliberations.

Read the full story here.

A Biden campaign spokesperson tonight rejected Trump's call for the president to battle him on the golf course, saying Biden "doesn't have time for Donald Trump's weird antics."

“Donald Trump hasn’t been seen in public for 12 days, now he’s inviting fictional serial killers to dinner, teasing lil’ Marco Rubio, praising Project 2025 architect Tom Homan, and challenging the President of the United States to golf," James Singer said in a statement.

“Joe Biden doesn’t have time for Donald Trump’s weird antics — he’s busy leading America and defending the free world. Donald Trump is a liar, a convict, and a fraud only out for himself — par for the course,” Singer added.

The campaign did not respond to Trump's challenge to hold another debate with Biden this weekend. The next presidential debate is scheduled for September.

Trump introduced his youngest son, 18-year-old Barron Trump, at his rally tonight, which drew loud applause from the crowd in Doral, Florida.

“Stand up, look at him," Trump said, suggesting that he "might be more popular than Don or Eric," two of the former president's older children.

"Welcome to the scene, Barron," he added.

Barron Trump was expected to be a delegate to the Republican National Convention after the Republican Party of Florida selected him in May to be one of the state’s at-large delegates. Former first lady Melania Trump later said in a statement that her son would decline the invitation to participate because of previous commitments.

Trump further teased his eventual running mate announcement, this time mentioning the speculation that Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., could be named at tonight's rally in Doral, Florida.

“They probably think I’m going to be announcing that Marco’s going to be vice president, I don’t know," Trump said. "That’s a lot of press."

Later, talking about potential legislation to ban taxes on tips, Trump asked Rubio, who is in attendance, whether he would vote for it. Trump then added, "You may or may not be there to vote for it," suggesting he could be vice president instead of a senator.

Trump ramped up his attacks on Harris at tonight's rally, mispronouncing her name repeatedly, criticizing her record on immigration and suggesting she had flubbed efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump also said Biden's choosing Harris as a running mate was "the best insurance policy I'd ever seen," implying that no one would want to see her replace him on the ticket. His comments come after some Democrats (and social media users) have suggested Harris could run, instead.

He also suggested without evidence that Harris was "cognitively impaired," saying, "She’s not doing too well."

At a campaign rally tonight, Trump challenged Biden to another debate, as well as an 18-hole golf match.

"Let’s do another debate this week so that sleepy Joe Biden can prove to everyone all over the world that he has what it takes to be president," Trump said in Doral, Florida. "But this time, it will be man to man, no moderators."

He also challenged Biden to a golf match, a topic that came up during the June 27 debate in Atlanta.

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team during a break at practice today in Las Vegas.

Stepping onto the court at 4:23 p.m. ET, she was escorted to the star-studded group of players by head coach Steve Kerr. Harris shook hands with Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry before she spoke with the team at Mendenhall Arena at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“Our nation is cheering you on. We are so proud of you,” she said. “Go to Paris and bring back that gold.”

Read the full story here.

Russia’s efforts to influence this year’s U.S. election through information warfare have the same aim as in previous elections — to undermine Biden’s campaign and the Democratic Party and weaken public confidence in the electoral process, intelligence officials said today.

Russia’s election influence operations, which include covert social media accounts and encrypted direct messaging channels, are targeting key voter groups in swing states to exploit political divisions in the U.S. and erode support for Ukraine in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, officials with the Office of the Director National Intelligence, or ODNI, told reporters. 

Asked whether Russia’s information campaign is trying to boost or undermine one of the presidential candidates, an ODNI official said: “We have not observed a shift in Russia’s preferences for the presidential race from past elections, given the role the U.S. is playing with regard to Ukraine and broader policy toward Russia.”

Read the full story here.

Vice President Kamala Harris made her pitch to Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders voters today, launching an event called AANHPI Voters for Biden-Harris.

“We have also fought to protect our communities from hate and violence, including by passing the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, which made it easier for AA and NHPI communities to report acts of hate,” Harris said before she pivoted to Trump.

“The former president consistently incites hate, including toward the AA and NHPI community. ... I will say that someone who vilifies immigrants, who promotes xenophobia, someone who stokes hate, should never again have the chance to stand behind a microphone and the seal of the president of the United States,” she said to a roaring crowd.

A sailor assigned to a medical team at a base in Virginia tried unsuccessfully to access Biden's medical records multiple times this year, a Navy spokesperson said today.

The sailor, whom defense officials did not name, worked with the Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command at Fort Belvoir when the failed attempts took place in February.

The service member searched for “Joseph Biden” in the Military Health System’s electronic health record “out of curiosity,” Cmdr. Tim Hawkins said in a statement.

Read the full story here.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., said in a new statement that Biden should exit the race, citing the stakes and threat of another Trump presidency.

“When I think of my four children and all of the rights that another Trump presidency endangers, and in light of the recent Supreme Court decision that gave inordinate power to the President of the United States, the stakes are too high — and the threat is too real — to stay silent. I realize this is hard, but we have done hard things in pursuit of democracy since the founding of this nation. It is time to do so again," she said.

She continued, “I know that President Biden and his team have been true public servants and have put the country and the best interests of democracy first and foremost in their considerations. And because I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, I am asking that he declare that he won’t run for reelection and will help lead us through a process toward a new nominee.”

Dr. Tom Pitts, a board-certified neurologist, speaks with NBC News’ Tom Llamas about questions surrounding Biden’s health. Pitts, who has not examined Biden, shares opinions based on video clips of him.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar of California, the No. 3 House Democrat, offered support for Biden but less than a full-throated vote of confidence after the caucus' closed-door meeting this morning.

Asked by NBC News whether Biden was doing enough to assuage the Democratic caucus about his ability to win in November given the number of public defections and private doubts from House Democrats, Aguilar said, “We’ll see.”

Taking questions from reporters at the Senate Democratic leadership news conference this afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York responded to three questions about Biden's campaign by reaffirming his support with the same answer.

"As I've said before, I'm with Joe," Schumer said.

The Congressional Black Caucus will gather again tonight to talk about the virtual meeting it had with Biden last night, two sources familiar with the plans said. 

The meeting, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Democratic National Committee, will be members-only. 

Biden spoke to the group last night for about 20 minutes, with a heavy discussion about lifting up Black America and growing wealth.

A source familiar with the call said Biden told caucus members: “I can’t thank y’all enough. You got my letter today. I’m not going anywhere.” And, mocking Trump, he said: “There’s no such thing as Black jobs.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York called the caucus meeting this morning a “very constructive conversation amongst the House Democratic Caucus family.” 

Asked whether Democrats reached a consensus on Biden, Jeffries said: “The conversations are ongoing.”

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley announced she was releasing her 97 GOP delegates to support Trump at next week's Republican convention, four months after she dropped out of the primary race against him.

"The nominating convention is a time for Republican unity," Haley said in a statement. "Joe Biden is not competent to serve a second term and Kamala Harris would be a disaster for America. We need a president who will hold our enemies to account, secure our border, cut our debt, and get our economy back on track. I encourage my delegates to support Donald Trump next week in Milwaukee."

Politico first reported the news. Haley spokesperson Chaney Denton also said Haley "was not invited" to the convention "and she's fine with that."

Haley said in May that she would vote for Trump after having said when she left the race that it was "up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him."

Former Vice President Mike Pence is calling the Republican National Committee's draft platform a “profound disappointment” for not including a push for a national abortion ban.

“Now is not the time to surrender any ground in the fight for the right to life," Pence, who ended his own presidential campaign in October, said in a statement. "The 2024 platform removed historic pro-life principles that have long been the foundation of the platform."

“I urge delegates attending next week’s Republican Convention to restore language to our party’s platform recognizing the sanctity of human life and affirming that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed.”

The main group planning to protest the Republican National Convention next week in Milwaukee blasted a ruling by a federal judge that protesters cannot march through the “hard” security perimeter — but said it would comply with the decision.

At a news conference this morning, Omar Flores, chair of the Coalition to March on the RNC, said his group had come up with “an updated march route that complies with the credential zone.”

“We do not plan on challenging the credential zone,” he said.

Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois., one of the handful of Democrats calling on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, said in an interview today that he thinks Biden’s letter to lawmakers yesterday vowing to stay in the race wasn't the right move. 

“I thought the letter to Congress was misdirected,” Quigley said on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.” “I again, respectfully, believe what they’ve done so far can be seen as dismissive.” 

Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., who was recently appointed chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, said she shares concerns that some fellow Democrats have about Biden’s ability to beat Trump in November after the president’s disastrous June debate performance.

“I voted for Joe Biden to be our nominee because I believe in his work with House Democrats to deliver unprecedented progress for the American people,” Trahan said in a statement to NBC News. “However, since the debate, I have met with fellow Biden voters in Massachusetts who have real concerns about the president’s ability to beat Donald Trump. I share those concerns.”

Trahan, however, stopped short of calling for Biden to step aside and said she is committed to do “everything in my power” to help Democrats regain the House majority and defeat Trump.

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego announced his second-quarter fundraising haul in the Arizona Senate race, saying his campaign raised $10.4 million.

The numbers will be confirmed in filings due July 15. The Democrat's campaign also said 95% of all contributions in from April 1 through June 30 were $100 or less, and it said that more than half of those who contributed were first-time donors.

The front-runner in Arizona's GOP Senate primary, former news anchor Kari Lake, has yet to publish her second-quarter fundraising numbers. Gallego outraised Lake in both the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.

Behind closed doors, some of the handful of lawmakers who previously called on Biden to step down or aired their concerns about his health spoke during the meeting, including Reps. Seth Moulton and Mark Takano, sources told NBC News.

One lawmaker called the mood in the room around Biden “shaky,” adding that “people fear he’s declining and worry that the age issue will overshadow everything the rest of the way out.”

After today's House Democrats meeting, several sources painted a picture to NBC News of a caucus concerned about its nominee, but still publicly on his side— even as some expressed resignation about that.

“If the opposition is not unified,” one House Democrat said, “then it’s advantage Biden.”

Another told NBC News that the “overwhelming consensus” was that Biden would stay in the race and the party should unify to support him. “Those with concerns should voice them privately,” this person advised.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., told reporters outside the House Democrats' caucus meeting at the DNC that he is in support of the Biden campaign again.

"Whether I have concerns or not is beside the point,” he said. “He’s going to be our nominee, and we all have to support him.” 

This comes days after Nadler and three other congressional Democrats told their colleagues on a phone call that Biden should step aside, according to multiple sources familiar.

Biden will speak virtually with Democratic mayors tonight and is expected to take questions from the group, according to two sources familiar with the plans.

It’s the latest form of outreach to anxious members of his own party, following conversations with Democratic governors last week and calls with top donors and Congressional Black Caucus members on Monday. 

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby again pushed back this morning against the notion that Biden doesn't allow information to be shared with him late at night.

Kirby said during an interview on CNN that being president is a "24-hour job, seven days a week" and from his experience working with Biden, "It doesn't matter what the hour on the clock says."

"He knows the world doesn't take a breather after a certain time of day," Kirby said.

In a video posted by a Daily Mail reporter, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., shared a dismal takeaway upon departing House Democrats’ meeting at the DNC headquarters this morning.

"No," Cohen said when asked if Democrats are all on the same page.

Asked for clarification, Cohen replied, "we are not even in the same book."

Former Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., died this morning after a sudden unexpected illness over the holiday weekend, his family said in a statement.

Inhofe, who was 89, was the longest-serving senator from Oklahoma, having held office from 1994-2023. During his time in Congress, he was the chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Armed Services Committee.

Inhofe also served in the U.S. House of Representatives and Oklahoma's House and Senate, and was the mayor of Tulsa.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., emerged from the closed-door House Democratic Caucus meeting signaling that he and his colleagues are largely backing Biden for president.

"We're ridin' with Biden," Clyburn said repeatedly in response to reporters' questions. Clyburn was largely credited with turning around Biden's 2020 primary campaign on his way to winning the party's nomination.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., another member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the "squad" of more progressive House members, told reporters after the meeting that she doesn't want to be distracted by a 90-minute debate, and said Democrats should focus on the Project 2025 proposal, an initiative by the conservative Heritage Foundation to create a policy framework for a Republican administration.

Trump has distanced himself from it, but a number of officials from his administration are helping shape the policies.

Hunter Biden’s attorneys withdrew their motion for a new trial in the gun case against him in a new filing in Delaware federal court this morning.

Lawyers for the president’s son asked U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, who is presiding over the case, for a new trial last month. They cited a “lack of jurisdiction” for a technical reason, arguing that the “mandate” from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals required the district court to hear the case was not issued properly and therefore the trial verdict should be thrown out.

But Biden’s legal team walked back that request in a new filing today, writing, “As it appears that the Third Circuit views issuing a certified order ‘in lieu’ of a mandate as compliant with Rule 41’s procedure for shortening the time for issuance of a mandate, Mr. Biden withdraws his motion.”

Hunter Biden was found guilty in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, last month on three felony gun charges in connection with the possession of a gun while using narcotics. The new filing by his lawyers does not rule out the possibility of an appeal of his guilty verdict; it just states he won’t appeal on these grounds.

Two House Democrats said as they left their caucus meeting that the room was asked not to talk to the press about what happened, and most members did not answer reporters' questions on the way out of the meeting.

“I promised I wouldn’t talk at all about what was said," said Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., one of the members who have called on Biden to drop out of the race.

Rep. Juan Vargas, D-Calif., a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, criticized the handful of colleagues who have called on Biden to drop out of the presidential race.

"It's a circular firing squad," Vargas said to reporters after leaving the closed-door House Democratic Caucus meeting. "It's the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

Vargas said he has always supported Biden as the nominee and hasn't changed his position since the president's disastrous debate.

In an interview this morning, Biden campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond dismissed calls by some congressional Democrats for the president to drop out of the 2024 race.

"I don't have a response to them because it's a distraction," Richmond said on MSNBC's "Ana Cabrera Reports."

Richmond, who previously worked in the Biden White House and served in Congress, urged his Democratic colleagues to "stay focused on the main goal, which is to protect this country from Donald Trump" and ensure the administration's gains continue.

A federal judge ruled last night that protesters cannot march through the “hard” security perimeter at next week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

The ruling is a blow to several groups who’d sued for the ability to march closer to the venue hosting most of the nominating convention — Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee — and a win for the Republican National Committee, which had pushed for protests to occur farther away.

The conservative House Freedom Caucus kicked out Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, last night in retaliation for his endorsement of group Chairman Bob Good's primary challenger.

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, then resigned from the group in protest, a source familiar with the decision told NBC.

"I am not happy, but very content. Congress will soon be a better place without Bob Good, as will Freedom Caucus," Davidson wrote in a post on X this morning. "I am disappointed that some HFC members (a very narrow majority of those present) viewed my opposition to Bob and support for John McGuire as an attack on them or the group. While that was not my intent, their opposition to me was intended. Nevertheless, God is good, and real friendships mend."

Speaking to reporters outside the House Democrats’ caucus meeting at the DNC, Rep. Maxwell Frost, of Florida, said he feels “reassured" about the Biden campaign's plans after the Congressional Black Caucus’ virtual meeting with the president last night.

Frost said the Biden campaign is spending $50 million in ads airing in battleground states and the president plans to hit the road to discuss Project 2025, a controversial list of proposals from conservative groups that Trump has sought to distance himself from.

Frost said that when he spoke with young voters last weekend, they did not talk about Biden’s age but brought up that they are “scared to death” of Project 2025. 

He also expressed confidence that Biden will make up for his poor debate performance last month, saying “he’s many good performances from winning.”

Biden’s doctor has put out a letter seeking to clear up why a specialist in Parkinson’s disease has been to the White House several times in recent months. The release comes after a tense daily White House briefing that left unanswered questions about the president’s health. NBC’s Peter Alexander reports for "TODAY."

As NATO leaders meet in Washington this week, Ukraine’s future is hanging in the balance.

Despite vows by alliance leaders to keep arming Ukraine in its fight to fend off invading Russian forces, the prospect of Trump returning to the White House is casting a shadow over the summit. 

A Trump victory in the November presidential election could mean a dramatic decline in U.S. aid to Ukraine and American political pressure on Kyiv to bow to Russian demands in any peace talks, Western officials say.

Read the full story here.

On the heels of reaffirming his commitment to staying in the presidential race, Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks at the NATO summit in Washington to commemorate the alliance's 75th anniversary.

Trump is back on the campaign trail today with a scheduled rally at his golf course near Miami.

Biden is slamming “elites” who have called for him to step aside. He says he still has the support of voters. As he fights for his political future, Biden hopes the support of Black voters and union workers will propel him to another victory. NBC News’ Hallie Jackson reports.

House Democrats who spoke on camera last night were largely supportive of Biden, even as the party’s divisions remain deep.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., held firm in her support, saying she is “hopeful that he will be the next president of the United States.” She also praised House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for “doing a wonderful job listening to members.”

Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, indicated that she and some other Democrats had spoken to Biden over the weekend. Escobar said she believed that the more members who spoke with him, the more confident they would feel, so she encouraged him to do more outreach.

Biden reached the White House after two terms as vice president and nearly four decades in the Senate — an establishment résumé if there ever was one. But facing calls to abandon his re-election bid, Biden is now framing his fight for political survival as “party elites” versus the voters.

Biden’s current posture of defiance is rooted in his — and most of his inner circle’s — conviction that many of those calling for his ouster were never firmly behind him to begin with, according to multiple people familiar with their thinking. Biden made the point, angrily at times, in an 18-minute interview yesterday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“I don’t care what those big names think,” Biden said after the hosts listed some prominent Democrats who’ve called for him to step aside. “They were wrong in 2020. They were wrong in 2022 about the red wave. They were wrong in 2024.”

Read the full story here.