Biden delivers strong speech touting NATO amid health questions, Democrats' concerns
Biden's speech comes as more Democrats call for him to step aside
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Biden delivered a strong opening address to welcome foreign leaders to NATO’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington D.C. Tuesday evening — a highly-anticipated speech as members of his own party and foreign leaders expressed concerns over his fitness for the presidency and continued re-election campaign.
Biden spoke Tuesday evening to welcome foreign leaders to the summit, touting the strength of NATO, looking ahead to the future, and seeking to show strength amid chaos within the Democratic Party over his plans to continue running for re-election.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Biden seemingly bounced back Tuesday evening, delivering a strong address without any major stumbles or setbacks.
President Joe Biden speaks at a church service at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Philadelphia (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
"Today, NATO is more powerful than ever," Biden said Tuesday evening. "It’s good that we’re stronger than ever because this moment in history calls for our collective strength. Autocrats want to overturn global order, which is by and large, kept for nearly 80 years and counting. Terrorist groups continue to plot evil schemes, cause mayhem and chaos and suffering in Europe. Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues and Putin wants nothing less than Ukraine’s total subjugation to end Ukraine."
The Russia-Ukraine war began under the Biden administration.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Ukraine can and will stop Putin," Biden said. "Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail."
Biden, during the address, announced a historic donation of air defense equipment to Ukraine. The U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Italy are coming together to provide Ukraine with equipment for five additional strategic air defense systems.
Biden also gave NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the Presidential Medal of Freedom Tuesday night as he opened the summit in Washington D.C.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, speaks with United States President Joe Biden during a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council during a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 12, 2023. U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts are meeting in Washington this week to mark the 75th anniversary of the world's biggest security organization just as Russia presses its advantage on the battlefield in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File)
"So much of the progress we made in the Alliance is thanks to the secretary," Biden said, adding that Stoltenberg has guided NATO through "one of the most consequential periods in its history."
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"The whole world will reap the rewards of your labor for years to come in the form of security, opportunity and greater freedom," Biden said. "For these reasons, I am pleased to award you the highest civilian honor the United States can bestow—a Presidential Medal of Freedom."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The three-day summit, which began Tuesday, will focus on ways to reassure Ukraine of NATO’s enduring support and offer some hope to its war-weary citizens that their country might survive the biggest land conflict in Europe in decades. NATO’s day-to-day work is led by Stoltenberg, the former prime minister of Norway, until he is replaced as secretary-general on Oct. 1 by outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
A reporter works in the media center at the NATO Summit on July 9, 2024, in Washington, DC. NATO holds its annual summit in Washington this week to mark the 75th anniversary of its founding. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Biden’s address Tuesday night came at a consequential time for the future of his presidency and a potential second term.
Biden and the White House have maintained that he will continue running his 2024 re-election campaign.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sources told Fox News Digital that Biden has been personally working the phones to call Democratic colleagues, supporters and donors to quell concerns — and the strategy appears to be working.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., came out in support of the president, along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Rank-and-file Democrats in the House also rallied behind the president, as well as a number of top Democratic senators.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Biden also saw support from the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Monday night.
However, Democratic sources told Fox News Digital that "the reality" is that Election Day is just four months away, and the Democratic Party "can't just parachute a replacement in that can beat Trump this late in the game."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The reality is, it is too late in the game to replace the guy if we want to win — that’s it," the source told Fox News Digital.
Additionally, despite reports of top donors considering pulling their support, the source told Fox News Digital that those donors "have a multi-decade personal relationship" with Biden.
"There is loyalty there, and he has delivered on many pieces of the Democrat agenda," the source told Fox News Digital. "Kamala has not proven that she is a viable replacement — even though Biden has given her years of world leader meetings and more."