US President, Joe Biden has reportedly told his aides he may have to step down as a 2024 presidential nominee and the decision could be made as early as next week.
According to the New York Times, Biden's allies said that the 81-year-old American leader has acknowledged that three appearances scheduled for this weekend will make or break his re-election bid against Donald Trump.
These include an ABC interview on Friday night and campaign stops in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The appearances are seen as crucial after last Thursday's disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, which led to calls from other Democrats for Biden to bow out.
One Biden ally reportedly told the New York Times: 'He knows if he has two more events like that [the debate], we’re in a different place.'
However, White House aides have denied the New York Times reports.
Biden's family including his wife Jill and son Hunter - are among allies who've reportedly pushed him the most to remain in the White House but the NY Times says Biden has privately conceded that he may have to bow out in favour of a younger Democrat candidate to take on Trump who is rising in popularity.
On Wednesday, Biden assured campaign staff on a call that despite mounting calls for him to stand down he remains in the 2024 race for the presidency.
He said: 'Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running - no one's pushing me out.
'I'm not leaving. I'm in this race to the end and we're going to win.'
'If the New York Times had provided us with more than 7 minutes to comment we would have told them so.'
Later on Wednesday evening, Biden met with 20 Democrat governors at the White House to assure them that he was fit to run.
Biden himself even admitted that he nearly dozed off on stage during a fundraiser in the D.C. suburb of McLean, Virginia Tuesday night.
He told the crowd he 'wasn't very smart' for 'travelling around the world a couple times' before his televised showdown with former President Donald Trump.
A new poll shows Donald Trump three points ahead on average in all seven swing states after the debate with Joe Biden last week