President Biden has not been seen publicly since a letter was released announcing that he would no longer seek re-election and is endorsing Vice President Harris to replace him as the Democrats’ nominee.
In a fletter released on X Sunday, Biden said he believes it is in the “best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” adding, “I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about by decision.”
According to the president’s public schedule, Biden was at his house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, at the time the letter was sent out on social media, though he had no public appearances scheduled that day. The same goes for Monday, when his public schedule shows Biden at 10 a.m. ET will receive his daily briefing, which is closed to the press, with no public events currently scheduled.
The White House has yet to release additional details about Biden’s schedule for the rest of the week.
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President Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/David Becker)
Biden last week began to self-isolate after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19.
In a letter updating the status of 81-year-old Biden’s medical condition on Friday, the physician to the president, Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote that Biden “completed his sixth dose of PAXLOVID this morning.”
Biden “is still experiencing a loose, non-productive cough and hoarseness, but his symptoms continue to improve steadily,” O’Connor wrote in the letter released by the White House.
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“His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal,” the doctor said. “His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear.”
The doctor said Biden has the KP .2.3 variant, which accounts for approximately 33.3% of new infections in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The White House is seen in Washington, DC, on July 21, 2024. Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s new nominee. (SAMUEL CORUM/AFP via Getty Images)
“The President continues to tolerate treatment well and will continue PAXLOVID as planned,” the letter says. “He continues to perform all his presidential duties.”
A person familiar with Biden’s schedule confirmed to the AP Sunday that Biden will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House this week. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said the exact timing of the meeting has not been established because Biden is recovering from COVID-19.
Netanyahu on Monday left for Washington, D.C., where he is expected to deliver a speech before the Congress at a time of great uncertainty following Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race. The prime minister is scheduled to address Congress on Wednesday. He is also expected to meet with Harris.
President Biden exits St. Edmond’s Catholic Church after attending mass in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware on Saturday, July 13, 2024. Biden left the church approximately 8 minutes after Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)
Before stepping on the plane, Netanyahu said he would emphasize the theme of Israel’s bipartisanship in his speech and said Israel would remain America’s key ally in the Middle East “regardless who the American people choose as their next president,” the Associated Press reported.
“In this time of war and uncertainty, it’s important that Israel’s enemies know that America and Israel stand together,” he said,
The Associated Press contributed to this report.