President Biden has canceled nine trips that were scheduled for the next two weeks after suddenly dropping out of the 2024 race, The Post can reveal.
Biden was scheduled to leave Monday for the West Coast, where he was to make stops in California, Denver, Houston and Austin – but all of those trips have been suddenly canceled, a White House source told The Post.
Biden, who has been isolating with COVID-19, was set to leave his home in Rehoboth, Del., on Monday, but extended his stay until Wednesday after announcing the end of his campaign the night before.
The source was not given any reason behind why the White House cancelled the trips. Biden’s illness was not immediately connected to the decision, as presidential physician Kevin O’Connor on Monday said Biden had all but recovered from the illness.
“They started canceling stuff when he announced he wasn’t seeking reelection,” the source said, adding that the trips were a mix of campaign and official presidential stops.
“He was supposed to leave today to start the West Coast trip, but they extended his stay in Rehoboth until the 24th,” the source added.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire was anticipating a Biden visit on Thursday to discuss the Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts but said the trip was canceled last-minute.
“I don’t know if the press knows it, but President Biden was going to be here Thursday to recognize our preparation,” Whitmire said Sunday after the president dropped out of the race.
Biden was also tentatively expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, but he has no plans to return to DC.
What to know about President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
- President Biden announced Sunday he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race — after weeks of prominent Democrats and donors calling on him to withdraw following his disastrous performance in the first presidential debate.
- In a letter posted on X Sunday afternoon, Biden admitted that it is in the “best interest of my party and country” for him to step down as the Democratic nominee.
- Biden wrote that he intends to serve out the remainder of his term and will address the country on his decision later this week.
- In a follow-up X post, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the suddenly open Democratic nomination. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” the president wrote.
- Former President Donald Trump reacted to the news by labeling Biden the “worst president in the history of our country” in a call with CNN.
The president’s next scheduled trip is tentatively set for July 31, where Biden will travel with Vice President Kamala Harris to an yet to be disclosed location, according to the White House source.
He is then set to travel to Chicago the next day and then doesn’t have anything on the calendar until the DNC convention, per the source.
Biden, 81, hasn’t been seen in public since Wednesday night when he was diagnosed with COVID. After the diagnosis, the president was seen struggling to get off Air Force One and into his motorcade.
Harris spoke to Biden’s COVID recovery in her speech speaking about his “legacy” on Monday at the White House. The vice president, who Biden endorsed to replace him as the nominee, said Biden “wanted to be here today.”
The latest on President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
- Biden drops out of presidential race: live updates
- Kamala Harris campaign flooded with ‘record-breaking’ $81 million in donations in first 24 hours after Biden drops out
- Top Dems threatened to forcibly remove Biden from office unless he resigned, set him up to fail at Trump debate: Sources
- Schumer, Pelosi played ‘good cop, bad cop’ to convince Biden to drop out with ex speaker stating: ‘Easy way or the hard way’
- Trump and JD Vance accuse Dems of leading ‘coup’ against Biden, call to ‘invoke the 25th Amendment’
“He is feeling much better and recovering fast, and he looks forward to getting back on the road,” Harris added.
Harris flew to Delaware on Monday to say “hello” to the campaign staff, as she is taking over the 2024 bid after Biden’s drop.
Biden – with heavily slurred speech – called into the HQ meeting to speak to staffers and Harris, informing them that “the name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn’t changed.”
Biden’s lack of physical presence or video address has led some to be alarmed about his whereabouts, with some Republican members of Congress calling for a “proof of life” check.
The letter announcing the suspension of his campaign was not mounted on official White House letterhead and the signature appeared to be electronically added.
A White House official said Biden received virtual briefings on homeland security and national security from Rehoboth on Monday.
Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates told The Post on Sunday that Biden “looks forward to finishing his term and delivering more historic results for the American people.”
The White House did not respond to an inquiry from The Post.