Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly told President Joe Biden in a private conversation that polls indicated he might not be able to defeat his Republican rival Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election, which could jeopardize the Democrats' chances of winning a majority in the next House of Representatives, according to CNN.

 

A source familiar with the call stated that Biden rejected Pelosi's concerns, citing polls showing his potential to win. Another source mentioned that Biden became defensive about the poll results.

 

These developments followed a report by The Washington Post, which indicated that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer separately informed Biden last week that his continued candidacy could endanger the Democratic Party's control over either chamber of Congress.

 

Jeffries met with Biden last Thursday evening at the White House, while Schumer met with him on Saturday in Rehoboth, Delaware. During these meetings, both leaders expressed concerns from party members that Biden's candidacy might cost the Democrats their majority in Congress, making it easier for Republicans to pass legislation.

 

Regarding Pelosi's conversation with Biden, CNN reported that Pelosi asked Mike Donilon, a longtime advisor to Biden, to join the call to discuss polling data.

 

This call marked the second known conversation between Pelosi and Biden since his debate with Trump on June 27, which was described as "disastrous." The exact date of the latest conversation was unclear, but one source suggested it occurred last week.

 

None of the sources indicated that Pelosi explicitly told Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race. According to CNN, Pelosi spent the weeks following the debate listening to her colleagues' concerns about Biden's candidacy and his ability to defeat Trump.

 

Pelosi stirred controversy when she stated in an interview last week, "It is up to the president to decide if he will run or not. We all encourage him to make this decision because time is running out."

 

When asked for a comment on the details of the CNN report, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates did not address specifics, saying, "President Biden is the party's nominee. He plans to win and looks forward to working with Democrats in Congress to pass the 100-day agenda to help working families."

 

A spokesperson for Pelosi told CNN that the former House Speaker "has been in California since last Friday and has not spoken to Biden since then."