Report: Pelosi warned Biden polls show he may lose to Trump and Democrats could lose control of the House

The walls appear to be closing in on President Biden’s re-election campaign.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly delivered a harsh reality check to President Biden in a recent phone call. She bluntly informed him that polls are showing he would not be able to defeat former President Trump in the upcoming election. Pelosi also expressed concerns that Biden staying in the race could jeopardize Democrats’ chances of securing victory in the House in November.

This phone call marked the second time Pelosi and Biden have spoken since the president’s lackluster debate performance against Trump on June 27. Sources familiar with the call mentioned to CNN that Pelosi did not outright suggest Biden should drop out of the race.

Shortly after this revelation, news broke that former President Barack Obama had been advising his allies to urge Biden to reconsider his candidacy.

When confronted by Pelosi, Biden reportedly pushed back, citing his own polling data that suggested he could emerge victorious in the election. He even got defensive about the polls at one point and brought in his longtime adviser, Mike Donilon, to discuss the data with Pelosi.

The exact timing of the call is not clear, but sources speculate it occurred within the last week. Additionally, Pelosi and Biden had a conversation in early July as well.

In response to media inquiries about the call, a spokesperson for Pelosi emphasized the confidentiality of her discussions with the President and criticized the media for misrepresenting their conversations based on anonymous sources.

Pelosi has been a staunch ally of Biden for a long time. During his tenure as vice president, she led House Democrats and served as the House speaker during the first two years of his presidency. Pelosi played a pivotal role in shepherding key pieces of Biden’s legislative agenda through Congress, including the American Rescue Plan and the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Despite her loyalty to Biden, reports suggest that Pelosi has been quietly urging lawmakers to exert pressure on the President to reconsider his decision to seek re-election.

Since the disastrous debate performance, Biden has been under increasing pressure to step aside. His campaign has been beset by turmoil ever since. Initially, the campaign believed that the attempted assassination of Trump, where he sustained a minor injury, would quell calls for Biden to withdraw from the race.

Observers note that Pelosi has been deeply involved in the efforts to influence Biden’s decision-making, with one source indicating that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff would not make a move without Pelosi’s blessing.

Recent reports have indicated that Pelosi is cautioning members of her conference against throwing their support behind Biden prematurely. She has been engaging in conversations with concerned House Democrats to address their anxieties about Biden’s viability as a candidate against Trump.

In light of the intensifying pressure on President Biden, it remains to be seen how he will navigate the challenges ahead as the election looms closer.