In this press conference he answered many concerns that voters had for his presidential run.
At the July 11, 2024 NATO Summit press conference, President Biden established key contrasts between himself and former President Trump that would define the 2024 presidential election landscape. Biden emphasized his commitment to NATO as "sacred" while portraying Trump as questioning the alliance's value, highlighted his economic achievements including reduced inflation and manufacturing job creation, and defended his border security record claiming "encounters have gone down over 50 percent" since implementing executive actions. On domestic issues central to the election, Biden positioned himself as building the economy "from the middle out and the bottom up" versus Trump's proposed "10 percent tariff on everything Americans buy." When addressing voter concerns about his age and fitness for office—a critical election factor—Biden disclosed undergoing "three significant neurological exams" as recently as February 2024 and firmly maintained his determination to continue his presidential campaign despite concerns from within the Democratic Party. The press conference represented Biden's effort to reset his campaign narrative following debate concerns by emphasizing his experience, policy achievements, and vision for America that contrasted with Trump's approach as voters evaluated their choices for the November 2024 election.
President Biden's July 11, 2024 NATO Summit press conference became a pivotal moment in the 2024 presidential election cycle, occurring amid unprecedented calls from Democratic lawmakers for him to withdraw his candidacy following his June 27 debate with Donald Trump. Media analysis across major outlets (CNN, AP, CNBC, Fox News) highlighted two significant verbal missteps: Biden referred to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy as "President Putin" and confused Vice President Harris with "Vice President Trump." Despite emphasizing his NATO commitment in contrast to Trump's skepticism, the press conference failed to alleviate concerns about his fitness for office, instead triggering additional Democratic defections, with at least 17 lawmakers publicly requesting his withdrawal by the conference's conclusion. Biden firmly defended his candidacy, stating "I'm the most qualified person to run for president" and "I beat him once and I will beat him again," while donor hesitation and approaching Democratic National Convention deadlines intensified the unprecedented uncertainty surrounding the Democratic nomination in what media outlets described as one of the most consequential presidential elections in recent American history.
President Joe Biden addressed reporters on July 11, 2024, following the conclusion of the NATO Summit, which marked the alliance's 75th anniversary. During his opening remarks, Biden characterized the summit as a "great success" with strong consensus among member nations. He emphasized NATO's historical significance as an alliance formed after World War II to establish collective defense among democratic nations, noting that "an attack on one would be treated as an attack on all."
The press conference came amid growing questions about Biden's candidacy for the 2024 presidential election following his debate performance against former President Donald Trump, making his remarks particularly significant for the upcoming election.
Biden established clear contrasts between his approach to NATO and Ukraine compared to former President Trump's positions. "My predecessor has made it clear he has no commitment to NATO. He's made it clear that he would feel no obligation to honor Article 5," Biden stated, directly quoting Trump as telling Putin to "do whatever the hell you want."
Biden reminded listeners of Trump's initial reaction to Russia's invasion, stating that Trump called Putin's actions "genius" and "wonderful." These comparisons establish distinct foreign policy differences voters will face in November 2024:
- Biden characterized Article 5 commitments as "sacred" while portraying Trump as questioning NATO's value
- Biden highlighted his leadership in expanding NATO to include Finland and Sweden
- Biden emphasized building a 50-nation coalition to support Ukraine
- Biden stated firmly: "I will not bow down to Putin. I will not walk away from Ukraine. I will keep NATO strong."
The president noted that Article 5 has only been invoked once in NATO's history - to defend America after 9/11 - framing his NATO support as directly beneficial to U.S. security interests.
Biden highlighted several economic indicators he presented as favorable to his reelection narrative:
- Inflation reduction with "prices falling last month"
- Core inflation reaching "the lowest it's been in three years"
- Declining prices for "cars, appliances, and airfare"
- Grocery prices having "fallen since the start of the year"
- Creation of "over 800,000 manufacturing jobs"
- Revival of the domestic semiconductor industry
Biden specifically criticized Trump's economic proposal for "a 10 percent tariff on everything Americans buy," claiming economists indicate it "would cost the average American working family another $2,500 a year."
The president characterized his economic philosophy as building "from the middle out and the bottom up," contrasting with what he described as "trickle-down" economics of previous administrations.
Addressing another critical 2024 election issue, Biden claimed significant progress on border security through executive actions implemented after bipartisan border legislation failed. According to Biden, "Trump killed the bipartisan efforts to secure the border" because "he thought it would benefit me and make him a loser."
Biden stated: "Border encounters have gone down over 50 percent. The current level is lower today than when Trump left office," directly countering one of Trump's signature campaign arguments on immigration policy.
Biden outlined his administration's ongoing efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, noting that his framework proposed six weeks earlier had been "endorsed by the U.N. Security Council, the G7" and is "now agreed on by both Israel and Hamas." He characterized negotiations as "difficult" and "complex" but stated "we're making progress, the trend is positive."
The president referenced his extensive history with Israel dating back to meetings with Prime Minister Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin, while characterizing the current Israeli War Cabinet as "one of the most conservative War Cabinets in the history of Israel." Biden maintained that "there's no ultimate answer other than a two-state solution" for long-term peace.
Addressing voter concerns about his age and fitness—critical factors in the 2024 race—Biden defended his cognitive abilities and capacity to serve another term. When questioned about mixing up Presidents Zelenskyy and Putin earlier that day, Biden responded: "I was talking about Putin, and I said, 'And now' — at the very end, I said, 'Here' — I mean, 'Putin.' And I said, 'Oh, no. I'm sorry, Zelenskyy.'"
Biden disclosed that he had undergone "three significant and intense neurological exams" as recently as February 2024, all indicating he was "in good shape." He stated he would take additional cognitive tests if recommended by his doctors.
The president clarified reports about his schedule, explaining that he wasn't reducing his workload but rather pacing himself: "Instead of my every day starting at 7:00 and going to bed at midnight, it'd be smarter for me to pace myself a little more." He contrasted his active campaign schedule with Trump, who he characterized as having "done virtually nothing" and "riding around in his golf cart."
Biden firmly maintained his determination to continue his 2024 presidential campaign despite acknowledged concerns from within the Democratic Party. When asked if he would reconsider his candidacy if polling showed Vice President Harris performing better against Trump, Biden responded he would only step aside if his team concluded "there's no way you can win," which he stated no polls were currently indicating.
Biden expressed complete confidence in Vice President Harris's qualifications: "I wouldn't have picked Vice President Harris to be vice president did I think she was not qualified to be president." He cited her work on "freedom of women's bodies," her experience as "a hell of a prosecutor," and being "first-rate" in the Senate.
The president highlighted his campaign's extensive organization with "well over a thousand volunteers" and "scores of headquarters" in competitive states. He characterized current polling as "premature," noting that "the campaign really hasn't even started" in earnest.
Biden concluded by framing the 2024 election as a critical moment for American democracy. He referenced his previous speech on democracy at Independence Hall, stating that while some initially questioned its relevance, "polling data shows 60 percent of the people knew I was right."
The president posed rhetorical questions: "Do you think our democracy is under siege based on this court? Do you think democracy is under siege based on Project 2025?" He emphasized "we've never been here before," suggesting unprecedented threats to democratic institutions.
Biden emphasized his determination to "finish this job" due to significant issues at stake, including civil rights, women's reproductive rights, and gun violence prevention. "The United States of America - more children are killed with a bullet than any other cause of death. What the hell are we doing?" Biden asked, highlighting policy differences with Trump.
This press conference represents a significant moment in Biden's effort to reset his campaign narrative following debate concerns. His handling of policy issues, particularly on foreign affairs and economic achievements, demonstrated strengths his campaign will likely emphasize in contrast to Trump throughout the remaining months before November.
As voters evaluate their choices for the 2024 presidential election, Biden's performance at the NATO Summit and his responses during this press conference establish his campaign's core message: experienced leadership, policy achievements, and a vision for America's role in the world that differs fundamentally from his predecessor's approach.
The press conference provided insight into Biden's electoral strategy of emphasizing his accomplishments while drawing sharp contrasts with Trump on NATO, Ukraine, economic policy, immigration, and democratic values - all themes likely to feature prominently in the final months of the 2024 presidential campaign.
President Joe Biden's July 11, 2024, press conference following the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. marked a crucial moment in the 2024 presidential election. This analysis examines how major media outlets covered this significant event, which took place amid unprecedented calls from Democratic lawmakers for the incumbent president to withdraw his candidacy. The press conference followed Biden's widely criticized debate performance against former President Donald Trump on June 27, 2024.
The hour-long press conference took place at a critical juncture for Biden's campaign:
- NATO Setting: Held during NATO's 75th anniversary summit in Washington, D.C.
- Political Pressure: As noted in CNBC's reporting, at least 16 Democratic lawmakers had publicly called on Biden to drop out
- Strategic Objective: To demonstrate cognitive fitness and reassure concerned Democrats
- Timing: First solo press conference since November 2023, according to AP News
Two verbal errors dominated coverage across all analyzed media outlets:
1. The Zelenskyy-Putin Confusion: AP News reported that Biden mistakenly introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "President Putin" during a NATO event, immediately correcting himself by saying: "President Putin? You're going to beat President Putin."
2. The Harris-Trump Mix-up: CNBC/Reuters reported that Biden stated: "I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president [if] I think she's not qualified to be president," when referring to Vice President Kamala Harris.
These verbal errors received prominent coverage in all examined media sources.
CNN reported that the press conference failed to stem Democratic defections:
- Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called for Biden's withdrawal "almost at the exact time the news conference ended"
- Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) followed shortly after
- Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL) became the 17th Democratic lawmaker to request Biden's withdrawal
Fox News quoted Nancy Pelosi's earlier statement to "hold off... until we see how we go this week," indicating party leadership was using this performance as a key decision point.
Multiple outlets highlighted Biden's firm stance on remaining in the race:
- CNN reported Biden saying: "I think I'm the most qualified person to run for president. I beat him once and I will beat him again."
- AP News quoted Biden stating: "I've got to finish this job."
- When asked about stepping aside for Harris, AP reported Biden saying: "No, unless they came back and said there's no way you can win," adding in a stage whisper, "No poll's saying that."
AP News and other outlets noted Biden's emphasis on NATO and international leadership:
- Biden contrasted his NATO commitment with Trump's skepticism
- AP quoted Biden saying every American should ask: "Is the world safer with NATO?"
- Biden highlighted the contrast with Trump, who AP reported has been "openly skeptical of the alliance"
The press conference brought attention to Harris's role, with CNBC reporting Biden's statement: "I wouldn't have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be president."
Fox News noted that amid speculation about Harris potentially replacing Biden, "many Democrats [are] openly pining for Harris to replace Biden on the ticket."
CNBC reported significant donor hesitation:
- "Some megadonors have said they are pausing donations to the Democratic party until a new presumptive presidential nominee comes forward."
The news outlets showed distinct patterns in their coverage focus:
- CNN and AP: Emphasized Democratic defections and political implications
- CNBC/Reuters: Focused on immediate campaign impact and verbal errors
- Fox News: Uniquely included supportive comments from Biden allies, including White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates and former communications director Kate Bedingfield
Media coverage acknowledged several critical upcoming electoral deadlines:
- The Democratic National Convention scheduled for August 19-22, 2024, in Chicago
- CNN noted that "practical preparations require decisions about the nominee much earlier"
All analyzed media sources conveyed that the press conference failed to achieve its presumed goal of quelling concerns about Biden's fitness for office. CNN characterized it as a "Rorschach test" where Biden supporters could point to his detailed foreign policy answers while detractors highlighted his verbal missteps.
The immediate aftermath—with additional Democratic lawmakers calling for Biden to step aside—suggested the press conference did not stem the growing movement within the Democratic Party urging Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. This consensus across media outlets points to a continuing crisis for Democrats heading into the crucial final months before the 2024 presidential election.
The growing calls for Biden to step aside, combined with donor hesitation and polling concerns, create unprecedented uncertainty in what Fox News, CNN, and other outlets describe as one of the most consequential presidential elections in recent American history.
Articles Analyzed: CNBC, AP News, CNN, FOX News
*There may be errors on this page.
Joe Biden's July 2024 NATO Summit Press Conference
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