In a surprising interview, Biden criticizes the 'elites' for pressuring him to withdraw from the presidential race.

• In a last-minute TV interview, President Biden defended his 2024 candidacy as more lawmakers and donors publicly expressed their concerns about his reelection bid.
• Nine House Democrats have publicly urged Biden to abandon his 2024 presidential bid after his debate blunder against Trump.
• This week, Biden will attend the NATO Summit and is scheduled to give a press conference on Thursday.

On Monday, President Joe Biden defended his position as the Democratic Party's top candidate in a surprise TV interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," following concerns about his reelection expressed by more politicians and donors over the weekend.

"In a phone interview, Biden stated, "I am not leaving anywhere, and I firmly believe that I am the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump in 2024.""

"The president was furious when the wealthy party members urged him to resign. "I don't give a damn about the opinions of the wealthy," he said."

Despite his efforts to stop the bleeding, Biden's political wounds worsened over the weekend.

According to an NBC News report, four House Democrats, including Reps. Adam Smith, D-Wa., Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., Mark Takano, D-Ca. and Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., expressed their belief that Biden should exit the 2024 presidential race during a closed-door virtual meeting on Sunday.

Five other House Democrats, including Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota, have publicly called on Biden to step down.

As Biden's team tries to mend his political wounds, an increasing number of lawmakers, donors, and strategists are publicly expressing their concerns about his candidacy.

Biden reaffirmed his dedication to the 2024 presidential race in a letter to congressional Democrats upon their return to Washington following the holiday break.

"Biden wrote in a letter that the question of how to move forward has been discussed for over a week now, and it's time to put an end to it. Any weakening of resolve or uncertainty about the task ahead will only benefit Trump and harm us."

Biden met with several Democratic lawmakers and allies last week, including Nancy Pelosi, Jim Clyburn, Hakeem Jeffries, and Chuck Schumer.

On Friday, Biden had a 22-minute interview with George Stephanopoulos from ABC News, but it did not seem to alleviate Democrats' concerns.

In the upcoming week, Biden will have a packed schedule with meetings for the NATO Summit in Washington. His primary objective will be to rally foreign allies in support of Ukraine and address the concerns of the Democratic Party regarding his reelection campaign.

On Thursday, Biden will hold a press conference and is anticipated to answer challenging questions in an unscripted environment. Additionally, he is expected to make more calls to lawmakers to reassure them in the coming days.

The fate of Biden's campaign hangs in the balance, according to some lawmakers.

"This week is crucial for the country and the President, as Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a presidential ally, stated on CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday."