US President Joe Biden has insisted he will not drop out of the Presidential election campaign.
In an interview with ABC television, Mr Biden dismissed concerns among Democrat politicians about his health and his bid for re-election, saying only the Lord Almighty could convince him he should step aside.
In the 22 minute long, unedited interview, Mr Biden struck a defiant tone, insisting he will not drop out of the presidential campaign and dismissing concerns about his health, his capacity to do the job, and his ability to win November's election.
The interview, and an aggressive campaign rally earlier, were intended to be part of a fightback by the president, who faces mounting criticism within his own party after a very poor performance during last week's presidential debate with Donald Trump.
The 81-year-old was repeatedly asked if he would undergo medical tests to assess his mental competence and fitness and publish the results, but brushed them aside, saying he takes a cognitive test every day through the work he does.
Asked by ABC presenter George Stephanopoulos if he had specific cognitive function tests, or had been examined by a neurologist, Mr Biden said "No. No one said I had to. No one said. They said I'm good".
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When asked if he would be willing to undergo medical tests that included neurological and cognitive tests and release the results to the public, the democrat replied "I have a cognitive test every single day. Every day I have that test. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, but I’m running the world".
Later in the interview, he said he would not be running for re-election if he did not think he had the mental and physical capacity for another term in office.
Mr Biden said he did not believe opinion polls showing him trailing Mr Trump in all the key battleground states, and he said senior democrat politicians are urging him to stay in the contest and defeat the republican candidate, whom he described as a congenital liar.
Initial reactions to the interview among democrats were mixed, with a number saying it neither allayed concerns about the US president, nor made them worse.
However Mr Biden faces ongoing unease within his party, particularly among members of Congress, who are also up for re-election in November.
The influential chair of the Senate Intelligence committee, Senator Mark Warner, has contacted fellow democrat senators asking them to support a move to ask Mr Biden to step aside in favour of a younger candidate.
ABC News had offered a similar interview slot to the presumptive Republican Party candidate Mr Trump, who declined the offer.
Just prior to the recording of the ABC interview, Mr Biden addressed a campaign rally in Wisconsin, a swing state he won by just over 20,000 votes in 2020, and responded to criticism about his poor performance in last week's presidential debate with Mr Trump.
"Had a little debate last week. Can't say it's my best performance. But ever since, there's been a lot of speculation. What's Joe going to do? Is he going to stay in the race? Is he going to drop out? What is he going to do? Well, here's my answer. I am running and I'm going to win again" the president announced.
