Biden ‘declines’ to step aside and tells Democrats to focus on beating Trump

US President Joe Biden is standing firm against calls for him to drop his candidacy for a second term, calling for an “end” to the intra-party drama that has torn apart the Democrats.

Mr Biden wrote in the two-page letter on Monday that “the question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end”.

He stressed that the party has “one job”, which is to defeat presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in November.

In the letter, which follows an ongoing row over his performance in a TV debate against Mr Trump, the President said: “We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election.

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“Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”

The letter was sent from the campaign to Democratic lawmakers as they return to Washington following the July 4 recess.