California Governor Gavin Newsom was asked whether he would be interested in replacing President Biden if the Democratic Party opts to force him out during their August convention.

While Thursday night’s opening presidential debate did not feature a studio audience, Newsom joined U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mary Trump and others at the Biden Campaign spin room in Atlanta.

While Newsom framed President Biden as a strong and competent option to leave his party before the debate, he was bombarded with questions over the future after Biden put on what has widely been viewed as a catastrophic performance. Despite the fact that he has repeatedly turned down the notion that he could replace Biden as the Democratic nominee, Newsom has long been viewed as a frontrunner on the off chance the president did decide to step down.

(VOTE NOW: Did TRUMP or BIDEN Win The First Debate?)

“Are you going to be the next Democratic nominee?” Newsom was asked by a reporter shortly after the debate. “No, our nominee is Joe Biden. I’m looking forward to voting for him in November. He’s going to be our nominee,” the California governor answered.

“Because you know that everybody is talking about you as a possible nominee now,” the reporter followed up, at which point Newsom turned and started to walk off without answering the question.

Questions surrounding Biden’s future and his potential role moving forward were continuously directed Newsom’s way throughout the night.

“You were out there getting a chorus of questions about whether Biden should step down. There is panic that has set in,” MSNBC’s Alex Wagner told Newsom. “They shouldn’t be,” he replied.

Wagner then referenced a report about Democrat strategists, donors and elected officials holding internal discussions on the possibility of replacing Biden and asked the governor for his thoughts.

“Well I think it’s unhelpful,” Newsom said. “And I think it’s unnecessary. We’ve gotta go in and keep our head high, and as I say, we’ve gotta have the back of this president.”

Newsom continued, “You don’t turn your back because of one performance. What kind of party does that? It’s been a masterclass.”

The governor then repeated the false claim that Biden created more than 15-million jobs, a figure that includes workers who were returning after COVID-19 shutdowns. “This president has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment,” he said.

“With all due respect, the more time we start having these conversations, go down these rabbit holes. It’s unhelpful to our democracy, our fate and future of this country, the world. They need us right now to step up. And that is exactly what I intend to do.”

Newsom is not the only Democrat who has been considered as a top option in the event President Biden steps down, a notion the campaign has thoroughly rejected. CNN’s Anderson Cooper pressed Vice President Harris over Biden’s performance and asked whether he should resign in the hours following the debate.

Biden’s running mate rejected the idea and attempted to frame his performance as substantive and competent, stating that President Biden is “strong.”

“Listen, people can debate on style points, but ultimately, this election and who is the President of the United States has to be about substance. And the contrast is clear,” Harris said.

Former President Barack Obama also attempted to assuage his party’s fears after the debate. “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself,” the former president wrote in an X post.

“Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight — and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November.”

In a statement released Friday, President Biden made clear that he intends to remain in the race and debate former President Donald Trump once again in September. “Not only does @POTUS not plan to drop out, Biden remains committed to a second debate in September,” the campaign wrote in an X post.

(BREAKING: Your Bank Account Is About To Be Cut In HALF)

Martin Mull, best known for his roles in “Arrested Development” and “Roseanne” has died at the age of 80.

Mull’s daughter announced that he died at home on Thursday after “a valiant fight against a long illness.”

“He was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials,” his daughter, Maggie Mull said in an Instagram post. “He would find that joke funny. He was never not funny. My dad will be deeply missed by his wife and daughter, by his friends and coworkers, by fellow artists and comedians and musicians, and—the sign of a truly exceptional person—by many, many dogs.”

Martin Mull as Gene Parmesan was such a rememberable character in Arrested Development that it’s hard to believe that he was only in one episode of the original series pic.twitter.com/XSHMTAN0Kz https://t.co/HWOQJpeoBw

— Fiona Small (@FionaSmall) June 29, 2024

“Simpsons” actor Harry Shearer wrote on his social media: “Took me a moment to grasp that Martin Mull has passed. During the late 70s, we worked together on Fernwood Tonight & its successor series. We wrote together, often at the beach (!), and sometimes I’d come out and riff with him. Mucho laffs! Always a treat to be with. RIP MM.”

Before his success in movies and TV, Mull performed his music and comedy in Hollywood clubs in the 1970s.

He told The Associated Press in 1980: “In 1976 I was a guitar player and sit-down comic appearing at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip when Norman Lear walked in and heard me. He cast me as the wife beater on ‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.’ Four months later, I was spun off on my own show.”

https://x.com/MikeBeauvais/status/1806836170053099824

https://x.com/DannyDeraney/status/1806842812241240365

President Biden’s post-debate woes continued on Friday afternoon when Time Magazine released a devastating cover.

The new cover took night of widespread Democrat concern over Biden’s debate performance that included multiple freeze-ups and inaudible statements. It features a picture of President Biden wandering off to the side — as if he is walking off the stage — with only the word “Panic” in the title.

(VOTE NOW: Did TRUMP or BIDEN Win The First Debate?)

“Panic” was the exact word used by many Democrat strategists, pundits and voters in the immediate aftermath of Thursday night’s debate.

MSNBC’s Joy Reid told her fellow panelists that her phone was blowing up from Democrats expressing “panic” over the debate. “I too was on the phone throughout much of the debate with Obama world people with Democrats, with people who are political operatives, with campaign operatives, my phone really never stopped buzzing throughout. And the universal reaction was somewhere approaching panic,” she said.

“The people who were texting with me were very concerned about President Biden seeming extremely feeble, seeming extremely weak.”

Reid stressed that the panic was not coming from everyday Democrat voters, but from veteran campaign strategists and “Obama world” White House officials.

CNN’s John King used similar words to describe what he was hearing from Democrat insiders and elected officials, many of whom are reportedly mulling the possibility of forcing Biden to step down.

“Minutes into the debate — and it continues right now — it involves party strategists, involves elected officials, it involves fundraisers, and they’re having conversations about the president’s performance, which they think was dismal, which they think will hurt other people down the party in the ticket, and having conversations about what they should do about it,” King reported.

“Some of those conversations include whether we should go to the White House and ask the president to step aside,” King continued.

Despite the concern, President Biden has vowed to stay in the race and has even doubled down on his commitment to the next presidential debate, which is scheduled for September. High-profile candidates who have long been floated as a potential replacement for the president — including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris — have likewise thrown cold water on the idea.

Legendary ESPN college basketball announcer Dick Vitale has cancer in a lymph node, he announced in a social media post on Friday afternoon.

“My report on the Biopsy of the Lymph Node in my neck has arrived & it is cancerous,” Vitale wrote. “With all the (prayers) I have received & the loving support of my family, friends & ESPN colleagues I will win this battle. Surgery on (Tuesday) will be a success. Thanks for All the prayers.”

Vitale, 85, has battled a number of off-and-on health issues in recent years. Vitale has suffered from melanoma, lymphoma, lesions on his vocal cords and laryngeal cancer since 2021 alone. He most recently announced that he was cancer free back in December.

While battling his illnesses, Vitale has participated in a number of charities that go towards treatment and support for others who are battling cancer. The legendary announcer — who was worked for ESPN since 1979 — has notable championed the the V Foundation, which was created by his late friend and former NC State coach Jim Valvano.

Vitale — whose high-energy calls have long been credited with elevating the sport of college basketball to national prominence — coached the Detroit Pistons in the 1970s before becoming a broadcaster.

Vitale said he will undergo surgery on Tuesday, adding that it “will be a success.”

As the presidential election quickly approaches, a crucial moment may have already sealed President Joe Biden’s fate. During Thursday night’s debate, President Biden’s performance raised significant concerns among voters and political analysts. The scene was set as Biden, aged 81, faced off against former President Donald Trump in what many anticipated to be one of the most consequential debates in U.S. history.

MSNBC’s data expert, Steve Kornacki, shed light on the dilemma facing the Democratic Party. “Back in the 2020 campaign, from our NBC poll, we asked folks, ‘Who is better when it comes to having the necessary mental and physical health to be president?’ And there’s basically a wash. 41 said Biden, 40 said Trump,” Kornacki explained. The close figures from the 2020 campaign starkly contrast with more recent perceptions. Over Biden’s presidency, his approval numbers have significantly declined, particularly concerning his capability to handle the presidency due to age-related concerns.

“Now, over several years of being president, those perceptions changed when it came to Biden, but not so much with Trump. We asked the question again at the start of this year, and that Biden number came all the way down to 23%. The Trump number went up to 46%, a two to one margin there.” The turn shows a growing concern among the electorate about Biden’s fitness for office, an issue that was exacerbated by his latest performance.

“The logical place you would look if the president steps aside is the vice president, Kamala Harris. And hey, she ran for president once, you assume she has presidential ambitions.” However, the support for Harris is not overwhelmingly positive either. “She’s very well known, and this is her favorable-unfavorable score in two recent polls, and frankly, compare it to Biden. She’s 41% favorable in the Fox News poll, in that same poll, Joe Biden was 44%.”

(VOTE NOW: Did TRUMP or BIDEN Win The First Debate?)

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The lack of a clear and popular alternative complicates the Democrats’ position significantly. Discussing further options, Kornacki noted, “Who of any stature could you put in who Democrats would agree on to be consensus immediately and maybe who the country knows. And there’s not much polling on some of the names that you hear.” He mentioned potential candidates like Pete Buttigieg, Gavin Newsom, and Gretchen Whitmer, but acknowledged that none have the national stature or popularity to present a clear advantage over Trump.

In a revealing comment about the possibility of Michelle Obama stepping in, Kornacki said, “There is absolutely no indication she has any interest, but just to give you a sense, Michelle Obama, the last time we polled her on this question of favorable, unfavorable, now it’s been a few years, but it was 57 percent favorable and just 25 percent unfavorable.”

The Democrats face a critical decision as the election looms. With Biden’s declining popularity and no clear successor in sight, the party’s path forward is loaded with challenges. The next few months will be crucial in determining whether they can rally around a leader who can present a robust challenge to Trump or if they will continue with Biden despite the growing concerns.

(STAY INFORMED! Download the FREE Trending Politics app before debate night)

It was a night of high stakes and higher expectations as CNN hosted a pivotal presidential debate, pitting incumbent Joe Biden against his Republican rival, Donald Trump. The event was expected to draw massive viewership, spotlighting the crucial differences between the candidates as the November U.S. election approaches.

However, while the debate itself was the center of attention, another storyline emerged from the evening: the ratings battle between major news networks.

Despite its role as the host network, CNN was narrowly outpaced by Fox News in television viewership. Nielsen Fast National data revealed that Fox News drew 8.8 million viewers, slightly edging out CNN’s 8.7 million, even when considering CNN Español and HLN, which brought CNN’s total to 9.04 million. MSNBC trailed with 3.97 million viewers.

FOX NEWS drew 8.8 MILLION people, whereas CNN drew 8.7 million ….

*If you include CNN Espanol & HLN, CNN combined networks drew 9.04 million…

*MSNBC drew 3.97 million… https://t.co/yy61eFHUMo

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) June 28, 2024

(VOTE NOW: Did TRUMP or BIDEN Win The First Debate?)

The ratings upset comes amid large concerns about Joe Biden’s performance during the debate. Critics and even fellow Democrats expressed their worries following his appearance, which was marked by verbal stumbles and occasionally meandering responses. Thursday night intensified doubts about the 81-year-old incumbent’s fitness to serve another four-year term, stoking internal party debates about potential replacements.

Right after the debate, CNN’s John King reported the sense of panic among senior Democrats over Biden’s performance. Supporters of the president were optimistic that he would present a clear and succinct message on immigration, aiming to counteract Trump’s critiques on this highly contentious issue. However, he did not meet expectations.

“It involves party strategists, involves elected officials, it involves fundraisers, and they’re having conversations about the president’s performance, which they think was dismal, which they think will hurt other people down the party in the ticket, and having conversations about what they should do about it,” John King said right after the debate.

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“Some of those conversations include whether we should go to the White House and ask the president to step aside,” King continued. The discussion within the party suggests that some members believe it might be necessary for prominent Democrats to publicly call for Biden to reconsider his campaign.

Although Biden regained some composure later in the debate, his closing statements did little to calm the fears of party leaders. The growing doubts cast a long shadow over the campaign, with implications that could reshape the Democratic strategy moving forward with only a few months to go.

“[Biden] stuck to his official position. I think he could’ve expressed it more strongly,” a source close to the White House told CNN. “He needs to remind the American public of his record, both on the border and on helping long-term undocumented immigrants. He hasn’t done that yet,” another source added, describing a moment when Biden unexpectedly brought up immigration while discussing abortion as “awkward and not helpful.”

When questioned about his age, 78-year-old Donald Trump boasted about his cognitive abilities and his recent achievements in golf. “I took two cognitive tests. I aced them, both of them,” Trump said. “I’m in very good health. I just won two club championships.”

(STAY INFORMED! Download the FREE Trending Politics app before debate night)

In what was meant to be a rebound from a lackluster debate performance, President Joe Biden’s rally in Raleigh on Friday instead magnified concerns about his fitness and electability as the November elections loom. The event, held just a day after a widely criticized debate performance against former President Donald Trump, was marked by an unexpected outburst and a noticeable struggle with a cough.

Biden, who is vying for re-election, appeared to deviate significantly from his prepared remarks, at times shouting emphatically into the microphone. His voice was hoarse, a stark contrast to his usual public speaking demeanor. The shift in tone and delivery, coupled with his physical appearance — looking visibly tired — did little to dispel the growing narrative of his diminishing stamina on Thursday.

“America bows to no one! No one. Never!” Biden said on Friday, perhaps to his Democrat counterparts who want him out.

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(VOTE NOW: Did TRUMP or BIDEN Win The First Debate?)

Critics have been quick to seize on Biden’s performance as indicative of a candidate past his prime. The narrative of an enfeebled president, long propagated by Trump and his allies, seemed to gain tangible evidence with Biden’s shaky debate performance and subsequent rally demeanor.

“What you saw last night on the debate stage was Joe Biden, a president with integrity and character,” said First Lady Jill Biden on Friday. ” Who told the truth, and Donald Trump told lie after lie after lie!”

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The rally, featuring performances by rappers Fat Joe and E-40, is attended by prominent North Carolina Democrats, including Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein. Yet, even the star-studded lineup might not overshadow the concerns that emerged from Biden’s presentation.

A senior campaign aide, speaking to ABC News, insisted that President Biden is not considering withdrawing from the race and remains committed to participating in a second debate. However, the aide’s reassurances may do little to quell the unease brewing within the party.

Supporters of the president claim that his record and policy achievements should speak louder than isolated moments on the campaign trail. However, the visual and auditory missteps at public appearances are becoming difficult for even his staunchest allies to ignore.

The implications of Biden’s perceived frailty are profound, not just for his campaign but for the Democratic Party’s prospects in the upcoming election. With the presidency at stake, the party faces the delicate task of balancing support for their candidate with the pragmatic realities of a demanding and often unforgiving electoral process. The upcoming debates and campaign stops will be crucial for the president to demonstrate that he retains the vigor required to lead the nation.

Meanwhile, the Republican camp, energized by Biden’s apparent vulnerabilities, is likely to intensify its critique of his fitness for office. The contrast between Biden’s faltering steps and Trump’s robust rally performances could become a central theme as the election approaches. The road to November remains fraught with challenges for Joe Biden.

(STAY INFORMED! Download the FREE Trending Politics app before debate night)

Following the historic debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, renowned pollster Frank Luntz reported a significant shift in voter sentiment among undecided swing-state residents. The debate, aired on CNN, marked the first time a sitting president and his predecessor squared off, offering a unique spectacle that captivated the nation.

According to Luntz, the majority of his focus group, comprised of undecided voters from critical swing states, tilted overwhelmingly toward Trump after the debate. “In my entire professional career, I’ve done 32 debates. Never has someone performed [like Biden last night]. And I was very upset with Donald Trump in 2020. I have never seen a performance like I saw last night,” said Luntz.

“We’ve never had that before. We are truly in uncharted territory. And what blew me away the most was that Joe Biden voters in 2020 don’t want him on the ticket in 2024. What is the reaction you had [from] 14 swing voters from these states? All undecided, all voting Republican and Democrat back and forth over the last 10 years. And boy, did they swing,” Luntz added.

One participant from the focus group remarked, “He does not have the leadership qualities to survive for the next four years. I don’t even know how he’s going to survive the next few months. They need a candidate that could beat Trump.” Another member reflected on their past support for Biden, stating, “I just think if the Democrats want to have a chance at putting someone in the White House, they need to put someone else up.”

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(VOTE NOW: Did TRUMP or BIDEN Win The First Debate?)

“I think in 2020, Biden was a safe option that was relatively non-harmful to replace Trump,” another said. “And frankly, I didn’t think it reflected these same cognitive issues that we see tonight on the campaign. Yeah, it was a little dry, but it was definitely not to the same extent. I think tonight, I’m not sure how he functions during an eight-hour workday, let alone an eight-plus-hour workday.”

The reaction from the focus group was a telling moment in Biden’s campaign, as voices within the Democratic Party began to question whether he should lead the ticket in the next election. Biden, at 81, appeared visibly challenged throughout the debate, struggling with vocal clarity and consistency. The debate and its aftermath could prove to be a critical juncture for the Democratic Party. In 2020, Biden was viewed as a safe, stabilizing choice over Trump, but the recent visibility of his cognitive struggles has stirred doubts among previously supportive voters.

67% of registered voters who tuned in to Thursday’s face-off between Biden and Trump believe Trump delivered the superior performance, a CNN flash poll by SSRS revealed. This marked a shift from expectations set before the debate, where 55% anticipated Trump would outshine Biden, who only garnered 45% of pre-debate confidence.

The debate has triggered a crisis within the Democratic Party. With party rules making it nearly impossible to replace a nominee at this stage without the candidate’s withdrawal, last night exposed the precarious position of the Democrats as they head into a critical election cycle. As the fallout from the debate continues to unfold, the party faces tough decisions about its strategy and leadership moving forward. With swing-state voters shifting allegiance after the debate, the pressure intensifies to reassess not just campaign tactics but also the viability of its presidential nominee.

(STAY INFORMED! Download the FREE Trending Politics app before debate night)

The re-election campaign for President Biden says it has raised a whopping $27 million since his rocky debate performance against former President Trump.

From the day of the debate through Friday evening, the Biden-Harris campaign told Fox News that it had raised $27 million.

The updated figure comes after the campaign said on Friday that it raised $14 million in “a sign of strength of our grassroots support” on debate day and the morning after.

The campaign also noted Friday that 11 p.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday – the first hour after the debate – was the single best hour of fundraising since the campaign’s launch in April 2023.

BIDEN AIMS TO CHANGE NEGATIVE NARRATIVE AFTER ROUGH DEBATE WITH TRUMP

The large sums of cash come as Biden’s campaign seeks to address Democratic Party panic over whether he is mentally fit to serve as president following his disastrous faceoff with Trump in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday.

“I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious,” Biden, who at 81 is the oldest president in the nation’s history, told cheering supporters at a Friday afternoon rally in the crucial battleground state of North Carolina.

“Folks, I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to,” Biden acknowledged. “But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done. And I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down you get back up.”

The president, pointing to his 2024 rematch with Trump, emphasized, “I would not be running again if I did not believe with all my heart and soul that I can do this job.”

Struggling with a raspy voice and delivering rambling answers, Biden struggled during portions of the debate. Several political analysts noted, however, that the president sharpened his answers as the debate progressed.

HERITAGE FOUNDATION WORKING ON ELECTION LEGAL CHALLENGES IN CASE BIDEN PULLED FROM DNC NOMINATION

Biden’s uneven and, at times, halting performance grabbed the vast majority of headlines from the debate and sparked a new round of calls from political pundits, publications and some Democrats for the president to step aside as the party’s standard-bearer.

Top Biden allies have pushed back against such talk as they defended the president and targeted Trump for “lying” throughout the debate.

Two Democratic sources confirmed to Fox News that top Biden campaign officials worked to calm concerns and fears as they huddled privately on Friday at a previously scheduled meeting with top party donors.

“Biden‘s record grassroots fundraising from the day of the debate is critical. It helps blunt the criticism from Biden’s performance,” veteran political strategist and Democratic National Committee member Maria Cardona told Fox News.

Cardona, a top Biden supporter, said spotlighting the fundraising “reminds Democrats that there is enthusiasm for the president and urgency to make sure that the liar and criminal Donald Trump doesn’t get close to the Oval Office.”

Another Democratic strategist and presidential campaign veteran said that team Biden’s focus on fundraising “is their best and maybe their only card to play.”

Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes discounted the Biden fundraising.

“As of last week, the Biden campaign has spent $100 million on cable, TV and radio. They’ve spent money on a bloated organization. Yet President Trump’s lead has grown in battleground states, and now we see polling and enthusiasm on the ground putting Virginia and Minnesota in play for the GOP nominee for the first time in many election cycles,” Hughes told Fox News.

The Trump campaign – enjoying the post-debate narrative – had no need to immediately emphasize its own fundraising, but told Fox News Friday afternoon it brought in $8 million the day of the debate.

Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report described President Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” — and numerous political analysts said that was exactly the impression that the president left on viewers of the debate on Thursday.

In the February report, which noted that Biden’s “memory also appeared to have significant limitations,” Hur said he would bring no criminal charges against the president after a months-long investigation into his improper retention of classified documents related to national security.

“Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him, he is someone from whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt,” the report stated. “It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”

During and after Biden’s debate against former President Donald Trump this week, several political analysts took to social media to suggest that Hur, who faced criticism from Democrats and liberal media figures over the report’s comments about Biden’s memory and judgment, had been “vindicated” and “deserves an apology.”

HOUSE GOP WILL SUE DOJ NEXT WEEK TO GET BIDEN-HUR AUDIO TAPES, JOHNSON SAYS

“You know who’s looking really vindicated tonight? Special counsel Robert Hur,” Jim Geraghty, National Review’s senior political correspondent and a Washington Post contributing columnist, said amid Biden’s performance.

Echoing Geraghty, Charles C.W. Cooke, a British-born American journalist and a senior writer at National Review Online, wrote in a post to X, “Robert Hur deserves an apology.”

Former Trump-era White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany also weighed in on Biden’s performance by referencing Hur.

“Biden is worse than anyone knew. Robert Hur must have been truly shocked. Now the country is,” McEnany, the co-host of Fox News’ “Outnumbered,” said in a post to social media.

During the interview with Hur, Biden, according to the report, “did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended (‘if it was 2013 — when did I stop being Vice President?’), and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began (‘in 2009, am I still Vice President?’)” 

“He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him. Among other things, he mistakenly said he ‘had a real difference’ of opinion with General Karl Eikenberry, when, in fact, Eikenberry was an ally whom Mr. Eiden cited approvingly in his Thanksgiving memo to President Obama,” Hur’s report said.

TRUMP SAYS ‘BIGGEST PROBLEM’ NOT BIDEN’S AGE, ‘DECLINE,’ BUT HIS POLICIES IN FIRST APPEARANCE SINCE DEBATE

Biden and his allies aggressively pushed back on concerns about his mental fitness in the report’s wake. Though a full transcript of the interview has been released, Republican lawmakers are still seeking audio tapes of the discussions.

Earlier this week, ahead of the debate, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said House Republicans will file a lawsuit next week to force the Department of Justice (DOJ) to hand over audio tapes of Hur’s interview with Biden.

“We are going to file a suit next week against the — against the Department of Justice to enforce that subpoena. We’ll go to district court here in D.C., which is the appropriate venue, and we will fight vigorously to get it,” Johnson told reporters at his regular press conference.

Attorney General Merrick Garland previously refused House GOP investigators’ subpoena for the audio tapes, citing Biden’s claim of executive privilege.

Garland’s refusal spurred House Republicans to hold him in contempt earlier this month, referring Garland to his own department for criminal charges. The DOJ ultimately declined to prosecute.

Following Biden’s debate performance, several media figures now support the release of the audio tapes from the president’s interview with Hur, including Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle.

“If you hold out hope that Biden’s performance on Thursday was just an aberration, you should call for the administration to release the tapes of his interview with Robert Hur so we can all hear what he sounds like when he doesn’t have a cold,” McArdle wrote in a post on X.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.