BREAKING: Joe Biden breaks silence, calls into Kamala event: ‘Trump is still a danger to the community’

President Joe Biden called into a campaign event for his VP Kamala Harris, who announced her run for president in his stead on Sunday after he quit the race via a post to X. He told the assembled, via phone, that if he "didn't have Covid" he'd be there, and that he'd be "going on the road." He also said that leaving the race was "the right decision" and leaned into claims that Trump was a "threat to democracy."

"Embrace her," he told the team, going on to say that he knew it was "hard" for his campaign team to hear the news that he decided not to run for a second term in office. "I know it's hard because you poured your heart and soul into me," he said. He praised the team for their "sacrifices" and claimed to have built "the best campaign organization in history." 

"The name has changed at the top of the ticket," he said, "but the mission hasn't changed at all. And by the way I'm not going anywhere," he promised, claiming that he'd be with Harris on the campaign trail.

Then he turned to the rhetoric of the campaign, saying "what we still need to save this democracy, and Trump, Trump is still a danger to the community, he's a danger to the nation. Just ask my foreign policy colleagues, my counterparts, and other people around the world and at home.

"Look," he said, "I'm hoping you'll give every bit of your heart and soul you gave to me to Kamala, and I want you to know, I won't be on the ticket but I'll still be fully, fully engaged. I've got six months left of my presidency, I'm determined to get as much done as I possibly can."

He spoke of his remaining priorities, including climate, claiming "climate is still the existential threat we face and we have, we don't win this thing it's all in jeopardy." And he promised to seek an "end to the war in Gaza" and to "get all those hostages home." Biden claimed to have "built these alliances," though he didn't detail what those were exactly.

"We're still fighting in this fight together, I'm not going anywhere," Biden said, his words slurring slightly, "and I want you to know that I've always, you've always had my back, and I promise you I will always have your back and I'm anxious for you to hear from Kamala."

The call came as Harris launched her campaign on Monday from Delaware amid endorsements from many, though not all, top Democrats. She has not named a running mate.

Many had questioned Biden's condition after he was whisked out of Nevada following a campaign appearance on Wednesday, cancelled all campaign events after that, and announced his withdrawal from the race in a social media post.