In a stunning turn of events, the number of congressional Democrats urging President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race reached 20 on Friday. This comes after a press conference-filled with gaffes and missteps, which capped the NATO summit in Washington, DC.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) revealed in a "Dear Colleague" letter that he had a private meeting with President Biden the previous day, where he expressed the sentiments and concerns of the Caucus about the path forward. However, Jeffries did not explicitly state his position on the oldest-ever president's re-election effort, leaving room for interpretation.

The much-discussed Biden-Jeffries meeting was reportedly part of the ongoing soul-searching among Democrats about the stakes for themselves and the party, with only a little over five weeks remaining before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Insiders explained that many frontline members of the party are facing a difficult decision: whether to support Biden and potentially jeopardize their chances of re-election or disavow him and live to fight another day. With Biden at the top of the ticket, some lawmakers see their path to victory narrowing.

In a significant blow to Biden's re-election hopes, two frontline members, Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) and Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), called on the president to step aside. Pettersen released a statement urging Biden to "pass the torch" to a new generation of leaders, emphasizing the importance of defeating Donald Trump, whom she viewed as the greatest threat to the country's foundation.

Similarly, Levin expressed deep respect for President Biden's long history of public service but stressed the need for a change in leadership for the Democratic Party.

Their calls were echoed by House Intelligence Committee ranking member Jim Himes (D-Conn.), who immediately urged Biden to withdraw after the incoherent press conference. Himes emphasized the importance of putting forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat of Trump's promised MAGA authoritarianism, expressing doubts about Biden's ability to fill this role.

Notably, not all Democrats have abandoned Biden. Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), a national campaign co-chair for the president's re-election campaign, stood firmly in support of Biden, praising his intelligence and urging others to focus on his accomplishments rather than his occasionally misspoken words.

As the pressure mounts on President Biden, the Democratic Party faces a crucial decision on the future of their leadership, with the 2024 election looming large. With 20 congressional Democrats calling for his exit from the race, Biden finds himself increasingly at odds with members of his own party.